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Penn State Beaver Roar March 2017
News
Campus reacts to travel ban ALEXIS SHEFFIELD Staff Writer
azs269@psu.edu
The recent immigration travel ban issued by President Donald Trump has stirred up emotions as students and faculty react to the news. Members of the Penn State Beaver community say they are concerned by the ban despite there being no students, faculty or staff who come from the seven Middle Eastern countries cited in the ban. The immigration travel ban went into effect on Jan. 24 when Trump signed the order banning entry for 90 days by citizens from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
However, less than a week later, a federal judge blocked implementation of the ban and on Feb. 9 a three-judge panel in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the travel ban. According to Penn State’s official enrollment, there are 14 international students enrolled at Beaver this year. Two of those international students are senior Thae Mon and freshman Songmeng Wang. Neither are from the affected countries yet they both said they do not agree with the travel ban. Mon is from Myanmar, a country in Southeast Asia. She said she feels that Trump needs to be more fair like the previous president.
“This is our home, too,” said Wang, who is from China. Freshman Chloe Kusi said she understands the difficult process to come to the U.S. Kusi emigrated from Ghana and received her U.S citizenship three years ago. Professor Talha Harcar is a citizen of three countries including Turkey, Canada and the United States. He has traveled to about 50 countries, so Trump’s travel ban is hard for him to understand, he said. “He discriminates against people in the U.S; he discriminates me,” said Harcar. Nevertheless, Harcar said he is proud to be an American but feels there is a divide in the United States that he does not feel in Canada.
Freshman Alexey Stern is a firstgeneration American; his parents are from Russia. Stern, who is also a Roar staff writer, said he believes Trump’s travel ban is building tension with the Islamic culture. Chancellor Jenifer Cushman quickly reacted to the news by sending out a campus email on Feb. 1. So did Penn State President Eric Barron who sent an email Jan. 29. Barron said that Penn State is committed to diversity and honoring the dignity of each individual. He also encourages all to carry immigration documents with them proving their legal status. Cushman’s email stood in solidarity with Barron’s as she reassured the
campus that the same message is true on Beaver campus. Cushman formerly served as dean of International Education at Juniata College in central Pennsylvania. “We believe that diversity enriches the lives of our students and that includes the international community as well,” said Cushman. Cushman said that the campus does not know how the travel ban will develop, but officials are keeping a close eye out over the next few weeks. According to Barron, Penn State has joined the Association of American Universities requesting that the U.S government end this order as soon as possible.
PERSON IN THE BISTRO
How do you feel about President Trump’s immigration policy?
“I agree with the ban for now. Trump still needs time to revise and reconsider some assumptions.”
Josh Lutz Junior
“I don’t necessarily agree with the ban. There is no need for the over-accusations President Trump usually implies.”
Alexandra Ricker Junior
“I think it will do the exact opposite and will create more resentment than there already was.”
James Heberling Senior
“Trump is very irrational and should be focusing on more pushing issues in our country,”
Hannah Yuhasz Sophomore
“The ban could have been handled a little more diligently, but I am for the protection of my country over all else.”
Evan Meyers Sophomore