“As a union representing hundreds of international student workers, we condemn in the strongest possible terms the statement released last night by Secretary of State Marco Rubio threatening to “aggressively revoke” the visas of Chinese students studying at American universities. We know firsthand the immeasurable value that international students bring to our campuses and our communities. Such a policy serves no purpose other than to stoke xenophobic sentiment and will only hurt higher education in the United States, whose standing has already been impacted by the actions of the Trump administration.
This is just the latest instance of this administration’s attack on higher education and international students. SEIU 509 is committed to ensuring that universities remain places of free speech, intellectual inquiry, and inclusivity for all who work and study at them. We call on elected officials, university administrations, labor unions, and people of good conscience to use the resources at their disposal to protect higher education and all who work and study at campuses across the country.”
-Dave Foley, SEIU 509 President
