Recently, Immigration and Customs Enforcement unveiled a new set of guidelines for foreign students in the U.S. as it becomes increasingly clear that most universities will be mostly online through the fall.
Among these guidelines was a troubling section which stipulated that those studying in the states on M-1 and F-1 visas would have to return to their nations of origin during the coming semester should their classes be fully online.
We, the College Republicans at ASU, believe that this decision is cruel and irrational, and it will only degrade American education and our nation’s legacy as a global hub for academic excellence.
The U.S. remains, despite the wanton cries of an out-of-touch media, the last best hope for freedom on the face of the earth. We exceed all other nations across the world in our acceptance of foreign migrants, and we remain the most longed after nation in the world.
While this is a result of our nation’s commitment to law and order, it is also a reflection of a genuine belief. As Condoleezza Rice once said, “that you can come from humble circumstances and do great things. That it doesn’t matter where you came from but where you’re going.”
Being a great melting pot does not mean that we must do away with our laws, it's quite the contrary. It means that we must enforce our laws and work together as a nation to ensure that our policies reflect the will of the people and uphold the common good of all Americans.
Standing with our foreign friends and colleagues who are here in America to find opportunity, not at our expense but to our benefit, is fundamentally rooted in a belief in a strong America predicated on good laws. We are proud to stand with the thousands of migrants studying at ASU and the hundreds of thousands of students doing the same across the country.
We ask that ICE reconsider this irresponsible policy, putting law and order first while recognizing that a strong America is a morally righteous one.
I leave you with a quote from President Ronald Reagan: “Not too long ago, two friends of mine were talking to a Cuban refugee, a businessman who had escaped from Castro, and in the midst of his story one of my friends turned to the other and said, ‘We don’t know how lucky we are.’ And the Cuban stopped and said, ‘How lucky you are? I had someplace to escape to.’ And in that sentence he told us the entire story. If we lose freedom here, there’s no place to escape to.”
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this letter to the editor are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors. This letter to the editor was submitted by Joe Pitts, the President of the College Republicans at ASU and a sophomore studying Business.
Reach the author at jdpitts4@asu.edu.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 500 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
