AMHERST – Amherst College’s president condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent executive order, which banned travel for people from seven predominately Muslim countries, in a letter Thursday.
Carolyn “Biddy” Martin released the letter in response to a sit-in and rally involving 300 Amherst students and faculty members calling for the college’s top administrators to do more to protect international students affected by the ban. The letter also outlines the college’s intiatives to support those affected on the campus.
“Let me begin by emphasizing my firm commitment to working constructively with you to help everyone affected by the president’s intolerable executive order, which I condemn,” Martin wrote.
After Trump issued the executive order on Jan. 27, Martin released a statement to the students, faculty and staff, advising those from the affected countries, including those who are dual citizens or have green cards, not to travel outside of the U.S. and provided contact information for anyone seeking advice or counsel.
Martin’s initial statement also referenced a webpage the college created following Trump’s November election, which she said provides resources for undocumented and DACAmented students as well as updates on immigration issues.
But some students were not satisfied with Martin’s initial response.
“Given this alarming threat to members of our community, the official statements released by President Martin did not meet the needs of those who are directly and indirectly impacted,” read a statement provided by Aubrey Grube, a spokesperson of the student movement.
On Wednesday, about 300 students and faculty members rallied across campus and outside of Martin’s office. More than 50 faculty members signed a statement condemning the executive order and urging the college administration to do the same.
“To succeed in our opposition to the prejudice and discrimination in the executive order,” Martin wrote on Thursday. “We have to engage as a community with the sense of purpose I know we share, and with mutual respect.
“We have pledged to do everything possible to protect students and staff who are affected by the ban, while providing them with the resources they need,” Martin wrote.
Martin said the college has taken actions in direct to response to Trump’s order such as arranging students to obtain the legal counsel of immigration specialist and attorney Dan Berger.
The college has now set up phone banks in the Alumni House where students can make calls and write emails to senators, representatives as well as the executive and judicial branches.
Following Martin’s statement on Thursday, protesters called off the sit-in, according to Grube, who released a student statement on Thursday, following Martin’s.
“We will remain vigilant in ensuring that President Martin keeps this promise, despite her refusal to make a public or written commitment to doing so,” the students’ statement said.
Caitlin Ashworth can be reached at cashworth@gazettenet.com.