This email reaffirms the University's views from a previous statement, as well as from Penn President Amy Gutmann's speech on College Green inn January.
Credit: Lizzy MachielsePenn reaffirmed its opposition to President Trump's immigration ban in a University-wide email sent late Monday afternoon, repeating the sole political stance it has taken against the policies of its most famous alumnus.
Trump's policy, outlined in a new executive order released on Monday after the original version was blocked by several federal judges, bans travel from six majority-Muslim countries.
The ban does not affect current visa holders, but does impose a 90-day ban on the issuance of new visas for citizens of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Sudan and Yemen.
"In light of today’s Executive Order from the White House, we want to reaffirm our strong support for and solidarity with all international and Muslim members of our community," the email from Penn's top administrators read.
"Together with university leaders around the nation, we recognize and duly respect the need to protect America’s security," the email continued. "At the same time, the procedures used to vet immigrants should address actual risks, be grounded in evidence, and be free of unwarranted discrimination in keeping with our constitutional principles."
Penn sent a similar email after the release of the original executive order in January, which banned travel from seven majority countries immediately — the six listed above plus Iraq — and affected visa holders and non-visa holders alike.
Penn President Amy Gutmann then denounced the travel ban in a speech on College Green, calling it "injurious to our work."
“We will do everything in our power, speak to every friend and ally, and leave no stone unturned in our efforts to urge President Trump to change course and rectify the horrible damage this Order has caused,” she said.
Penn's opposition to the travel bans mark the first and only time it has made any kind of ideological statement against Trump, a 1968 Wharton graduate. Although Gutmann criticized Trump's proposal to ban Muslims when he first announced it during his campaign, the University has largely remained silent on political issues.
The original travel ban made waves across campus, prompting many students to protest and forced students from the banned countries to rethink their futures.
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