Contact: NAFSA Media Relations, [email protected]
Washington, January 21, 2021 – Among the 15 Executive Orders signed by President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. on his first day in office was one ending the ban on travelers from several majority-Muslim and African countries, and another ensuring that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program remains intact. The following is a statement by Dr. Esther D. Brimmer, Executive Director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
“These first Executive Orders are a vital component of restoring the confidence of international students and scholars as they choose whether to study and contribute to U.S. campuses, our economy, and our communities. By ending the Travel Ban to Muslim-majority and African countries, the new administration again made it federal policy not to discriminate against those seeking to come to the United States based on their religion or country of origin. By reviving the DACA program, we again show that this country cares about the safety and security of those who grew up as Americans although they were brought here as children.
“The United States is showing the power of creating a more perfect union. If policies fail or have harmful consequences such as the Travel Ban, these policies can and should be altered or removed. That is the power of our democracy.
NAFSA looks forward to working closely with the Biden-Harris administration to show the world that the United States welcomes and values immigrants; that our colleges and universities are made better by the international students, scholars, researchers and others who choose to bring their talent; and that immigrants truly make America great.
###
About NAFSA: Serving more than 10,000 members and international educators worldwide, NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange. Visit us at www.nafsa.org/press. To learn more about our advocacy efforts on behalf of international education, visit www.nafsa.org/takeaction. Resources to guide our members on these issues can be found at www.nafsa.org/reginfo.