Press Room
Letter to The Boston Globe
The following NAFSA letter was published in the September 29, 2002, issue of The Boston Globe.
17 September 2002
Letters to the Editor
The Boston Globe
P.O. Box 2378
Boston, MA 02107-2378
To the Editor:
RE "The student program is deeply flawed" (September 15, 2002):
George Borjas would have us believe that international students and scholars are a mysterious, uncontrolled menace in our society. But let’s look at the facts: international students have long been among the most closely monitored of all nonimmigrant visitors. Of the people who visit our country each year, three percent are students and scholars. They spend billions of dollars on the U.S. economy. This population contributes brilliant minds to important scientific and medical research. They remind our students that theirs is not the only prism through which to view the world. They return home carrying ties of friendship and a better understanding of the United States. They are the world’s future leaders.
It’s time to stop scapegoating students and focus on making sure that the policies we end up with at the end of day are in line with fundamental American interests. Let’s put controls in place where necessary. But let's also recognize that educating the world’s young people here in our country is one of our most important weapons against ignorance, intolerance, and hatred.
Sincerely,
Victor C. Johnson
Associate Executive Director, Public Policy
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
17 September 2002
Letters to the Editor
The Boston Globe
P.O. Box 2378
Boston, MA 02107-2378
To the Editor:
RE "The student program is deeply flawed" (September 15, 2002):
George Borjas would have us believe that international students and scholars are a mysterious, uncontrolled menace in our society. But let’s look at the facts: international students have long been among the most closely monitored of all nonimmigrant visitors. Of the people who visit our country each year, three percent are students and scholars. They spend billions of dollars on the U.S. economy. This population contributes brilliant minds to important scientific and medical research. They remind our students that theirs is not the only prism through which to view the world. They return home carrying ties of friendship and a better understanding of the United States. They are the world’s future leaders.
It’s time to stop scapegoating students and focus on making sure that the policies we end up with at the end of day are in line with fundamental American interests. Let’s put controls in place where necessary. But let's also recognize that educating the world’s young people here in our country is one of our most important weapons against ignorance, intolerance, and hatred.
Sincerely,
Victor C. Johnson
Associate Executive Director, Public Policy
NAFSA: Association of International Educators
