Today, on behalf of 30 faculty associations around the country, we asked for permission to file an amicus brief co-authored with attorneys at Leonard Carder LLP in AAUP v. Rubio, a challenge to the Trump administration’s policy of targeting international students and faculty for deportation based on their views.
The brief reminds us of the important place that freedom of speech has on university campuses, and of the need to always enable scholars and students to explore new ideas, challenge conventional ones, and to do so according to the standards of their disciplines—rather than the political preferences of government officials, the economic interests of commercial powers, or other arbitrary criteria. As courts have long recognized, free societies require free universities in order to flourish.
Faculty associations from private and public schools around the country weighed in to share details about the ways in which their campus communities—including professors, researchers, and students—have been severely affected by the threat of deportation. Simply put, universities in the United States will not be able to maintain their standing in the world, or their ability to attract world-class talent, if the administration’s policies continue. Already, students have canceled research projects for fear of retaliation, international students and faculty have withdrawn from conferences or refrained from applying for positions, and students and scholars alike report silencing themselves to avoid unwanted attention.
Salahi PC is committed to vigilantly protecting our most precious freedoms. If you are a student or faculty member facing discipline or other inappropriate retaliation for your views, please feel free to contact us.