Trump Orders Could Drain Millions from Universities, but Few Protest Openly
In the last two weeks, President Trump has issued over 70 Executive Orders (EO’s), setting a record on Day One. Since that first day, we have been monitoring and sorting through the orders as fast as they get signed. Some of his executive actions have already been rescinded (freeze on all federal funding), or challenged in court (birthright citizenship). While many of the new EO’s could and will have serious impacts on Americans and, in our case, our international students, the volume and the pace have been the challenge and this is by design. The goal is to keep everyone “off kilter.”
This article from the New York Times discusses the challenges higher education is trying to navigate. University presidents across the country know that this administration has higher ed in their sites. They want to make sweeping changes to campuses and the policies that support higher ed. Because of that, many schools are choosing to remain quiet, not engaging, and attempting to stay out of the spotlight. The President and Republicans are hoping voters, especially in conservative states, will have some tolerance even for cuts that affect their communities. We will see how long the silence lasts.
“It’s a hard time and it’s an uncertain time and the combination is nearly paralyzing,” said Ted Mitchell, the president of the American Council on Education, which counts more than 1,600 colleges and universities in its membership.
Read more on the New York Times >
Campuses No Longer Off-Limits to ICE
This news is making the headlines and causing anxiety for students across the country. Under the previous administration, ICE agents were to avoid operating in “sensitive areas,” like churches, hospitals, schools, and college campuses. Following the recision of this order, the Trump Administration has stated, “Criminals will no longer be able to hide in America’s schools and churches to avoid arrest,” acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Benjamin Huffman wrote in a statement. “The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement, and instead trusts them to use common sense.” This is concerning for faculty and students; however, it is important to know that every American, international student, and immigrant has rights.
Though no ICE raids have taken place on campuses during the first few weeks of Trump’s second term, “confusion and misinformation” are running rampant, contributing to an anxious campus climate, said Miriam Feldblum, executive director of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.
“What we would recommend is that every campus should prepare their protocols [and] communication guidelines,” she said — not just to be ready if ICE comes but because doing so “supports a sense of preparedness and can help reduce anxiety on campus. We need to prepare for all circumstances.”
Learn more on Inside Higher Ed >
What Happens if the Department of Education Is Abolished?
In anticipation of the upcoming EO to close the Department of Education, we wanted to share this article. While the President can make major policy changes within the department, because the department was established by Congress, it would also require an act of Congress to shut it down. It remains to be seen how he will get past that hurdle.
Trump campaigned on the issue, calling it federal oversight and saying it was “indoctrinating” children and would send education back to the states. While Trump accused the department of overreach, the federal curriculums for schools have always been set at state and local levels.
