Presidents’ Alliance Statement in Response to Presidential Proclamation Suspending High Skilled Immigrants: Restrictions Are Misguided and Counterproductive

PRESIDENTS’ ALLIANCE STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION SUSPENDING HIGH SKILLED IMMIGRANTS: RESTRICTIONS ARE MISGUIDED AND COUNTERPRODUCTIVE

LINK TO DOWNLOAD THE STATEMENT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 23, 2020

Contact: Jose Magaña-Salgado (jose@presidentsalliance.org) 

Washington, D.C.—Today, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, comprising over 450 presidents and chancellors of higher education institutions, expresses its disappointment in the administration’s new Proclamation, which continues the suspension of immigrant visas and extends the suspension to include certain international workers and professionals. 

Louis Caldera, Co-Founder, Presidents’ Alliance, and Co-Chair of the Presidents’ Alliance Steering Committee, stated: “We are deeply disappointed in the administration’s new Proclamation. It will harm many international professionals and workers, their families and the institutions and businesses they work for. The administration’s suspension of entry of these immigrant and nonimmigrant visa categories is misguided, shortsighted, and ineffective in addressing our nation’s unemployment crisis. Now more than ever, as we seek to reopen our campuses, jumpstart our economy, and achieve greater racial equity and justice, we need to welcome talented people from throughout the world. These counterproductive barriers and restrictions stymie innovation, contract the economy, and erode our nation’s attractiveness to the world’s most talented people. These actions undermine our colleges and universities and our nation’s historic openness to global talent, drive, and innovation.”

Miriam Feldblum, Executive Director of Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, stated: “We are relieved that, for now, international students and Optional Practical Training have been spared, but this suspension will directly impact higher education’s ability to attract and recruit international faculty and researchers. The damage to our reputation and innovation prospects for the future and the human costs to those individuals and their families will be long-lasting.”

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