Statement from President Randhawa on Immigration Executive Order

Published On

Mon, 01/30/2017 - 10:31 am

As a person who came to the United States as a graduate student from Pakistan in 1978 and who has spent my entire 34-year professional career in service to this great nation, I am disappointed and concerned about the recent federal executive order to ban individuals from seven countries, which are majority Muslim, from entering the United States.

The United States has always been a melting pot of people from around the world and our nation has benefited greatly from the contributions of people who have chosen to pursue education here and in many cases, like mine, to become citizens.  Our country and our world are better places because so many people from other nations choose to pursue their higher education experience here.  Some stay because of their belief in the values of this great nation and they enhance our quality of life here, while others return home to do the same.  

Western has had many international students and faculty in the past and continues to do so today.  We strongly support our international students, faculty, staff and visitors; we benefit from their presence and the richness they bring to our community.  We hope that the administration will more thoughtfully address the security concerns that it is attempting to approach through this executive order.  We will continue to monitor developments and work with the higher education community to bring our concerns to the attention of the administration.

Our international students and employees are a valued part of our Western family and we are attempting to reach out to each to reiterate our support for them and to assist in any ways we can to ensuring a continued quality experience here at WWU and in our community.