Letter Urging Secretaries Blinken and Mayorkas to Protect Afghan Students, Scholars, Researchers, and their Families

The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration writes to urge action to protect Afghan students, scholars, researchers, and their families seeking to come to the U.S., and those here in U.S. higher education institutions. Doing so will provide much-needed and well-deserved protection for this vulnerable population, and signal to current and prospective Afghan students and scholars that the United States is the preeminent destination for those wanting to study, live, and contribute. With the ongoing urgent conditions on the ground, we also call on the administration to ensure that flights and evacuations continue if necessary past August 31, 2021, and not be delayed so that all vulnerable Afghan students, scholars, and researchers can be given safe passage and haven in the United States, including to pursue higher education programs in the United States. We also urge assistance in helping Afghans currently studying and residing in the United States to maintain or change immigration status as needed in order to avoid persecution.

Please see the attached set of recommendations that we urge you to consider and adopt. We stand ready to work with you and are committed to providing a welcoming learning environment for Afghans in search of better opportunities here in the U.S.

Sincerely,

Miriam Feldblum
Executive Director
Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration

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October 25, 2021 – Response from DHS