Statement on Presidential Proclamation Suspending Certain Non-Immigrant Visas

Statement from Pericles Lewis, Vice President for Global Strategy

June 23, 2020 

On June 22, President Trump signed a  Proclamation Suspending Entry of Aliens Who Present a Risk to the U.S. Labor Market Following the Coronavirus Outbreak.  The Proclamation, which takes effect on June 24, 2020, suspends the entry into the United States of individuals who are seeking entry in certain non-immigrant classifications (details are available at the Yale OISS website).

While this is unlikely to have immediate effect on Yale’s international students, it does affect the university’s ability to hire outstanding international faculty and research scientists and scholars. We are concerned that this proclamation leads us in the wrong direction and will weaken American scientific discovery and innovation.

International faculty, researchers and students, including those engaged in scientific scholarship, are of critical importance to the United States and to Yale, and our steadfast commitment to them is unwavering. We will continue to advocate for government policies that support the ability of international students and scholars to study and work in the United States.