Brandeis unites with peers to support lawsuit opposing travel ban

Brandeis University is among 31 institutions of higher education to voice opposition to President Donald Trump's revised travel ban in a federal court brief. The university previously joined peer institutions to file a brief opposing Trump’s initial travel ban in February.

Filed March 31, the amicus brief - a filing made by a third party who has a stake in the outcome of litigation - describes the important role that international students, faculty and staff play in higher education and argues that the ban threatens the ability of U.S. universities to attract top talent. It urges that a previous court decision to block the ban be upheld.

"These individuals make significant contributions to their fields of study and to campus life by bringing unique perspectives and talents to classrooms, laboratories, and performance spaces," the filing states.

Brandeis is one of seven institutions from Massachusetts to sign on with the brief, including Boston University, Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Northeastern University, Tufts University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

“People from beyond the U.S. borders are invaluable members of the Brandeis community,” said Steven S. Locke, general counsel for Brandeis. “We believe this ban will inhibit our ability to recruit the best and brightest scholars from around the world. We stand with our peers who want to continue the American tradition of excellence in higher education.”

The brief also argues that the order will deter people from countries not named in the ban from wanting to study or work at U.S. institutions.

The revised travel ban, an executive order signed by Trump on March 6, prohibits citizens from six Muslim-majority countries - Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen, Syria and Libya - from entering the United States.

The Trump administration faced several lawsuits as result of the ban, including one brought forward in U.S. District Court in Maryland by the International Refugee Assistance Project, HIAS, Inc. and the Middle East Studies Association of North America, which resulted in a nationwide injunction against the ban.

Trump has since appealed that ruling to the federal Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Virginia, where the 31 colleges and universities filed the brief.