Dartmouth Joins Amicus Brief on Trump’s Executive Order

Dartmouth has joined 16 other colleges and universities in filing an amicus brief in a case challenging President Trump’s executive order restricting immigration from seven designated countries and suspending refugee admissions to the United States. 

The “friend of the court” brief was filed Feb. 13 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in the case of Darweesh et al. v. Trump et al. The federal court is where one of several cases challenging the executive order is being litigated.

The brief asserts that “safety and security concerns can be addressed in a manner that is consistent with the values America has always stood for, including the free flow of ideas and people across borders and the welcoming of immigrants to our universities.

“Because (the universities) seek to educate future leaders from nearly every continent, attract the world’s best scholars, faculty, and students, and work across international borders, they rely on the ability to welcome international students, faculty, and scholars into their communities. The Executive Order at issue in this case threatens that ability, and creates significant hardship for (our) valued international students, faculty, and scholars.”

Dartmouth joined Brown, Carnegie Mellon, the University of Chicago, Columbia, Cornell, Duke, Emory, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northwestern, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton, Stanford, Vanderbilt, and Yale in filing the brief.

An amicus brief is filed by an entity that is not a party to a case, but assists a court by offering information that bears on the case.

The filing cites a letter President Phil Hanlon ’77 and 47 other college and university presidents signed on Feb. 2 urging Trump to “rectify the damage” done by his executive order.

President Hanlon and Provost Carolyn Dever, in an email to the college community after Trump signed the order on Jan. 27, wrote in support of international students and scholars, reaffirming the College’s commitment to all members of the community regardless of their citizenship.

“These events have understandably generated great anxiety and confusion across our campus, and are very troubling,” they wrote.

Despite the temporary restraining order issued by the Federal District Court in Seattle on Feb. 3, the situation remains fluid. For this reason, Dartmouth’s Office of Visa and Immigration Services has strongly recommended that foreign nationals from the countries listed in Trump’s executive order (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen) who are affected by the order avoid all international travel, including to Canada, for the time being. OVIS staff have been working closely with those members of the community affected by the government’s action.

See also:

Read the brief

Hanlon, Other University Presidents Protest Executive Order

Jan. 29 Email from President Hanlon and Provost Dever following issuance of President Trump’s executive order

Office of Visa and Immigration Services FAQ on Trump executive order

Nov. 21 College and university presidents’ letter in support of DACA

Nov. 18 Dartmouth News: President Hanlon stresses support for DACA immigration policy

Nov. 18 Email from President Hanlon supporting the diverse Dartmouth community