An open letter from over one hundred artists, activists, scholars, and writers
Published in Common Dreams, February 5, 2019
We — activists, scholars, writers and artists — strongly condemn President Trump’s efforts to vilify, intimidate, and use force against refugees and asylum seekers at and approaching the U.S. border.
We are deeply troubled by the government’s responses to current and recent asylum seekers, which include the deployment of military personnel to an already highly militarized border, and expansion of detention facilities meant to incarcerate people entering the U.S. rather than welcome them. We reject President Trump’s maligning of the refugees as an “invasion.” And we recognize the fact that U.S. political, economic, and military activities in Central America have contributed to the situation that so many people—including families with small children—are fleeing.
President Trump has spoken about the asylum seekers currently stuck in Tijuana, claiming without evidence that “a significant majority will not be eligible for or be granted that benefit.” In fact, all people have the right to come to this country, seek asylum, and have their cases heard.
U.S. law is clear in outlining the rights of people to come to the country and claim asylum. The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 states that a foreigner “who is physically present in the United States or who arrives in the United States, whether or not at a designated port of arrival” may apply for asylum. The participants in the Exodus from Central America—as the refugees refer to their journey—are doing exactly what the law requires to seek refuge in the United States.
The rights of asylum seekers are also supported by international law. The 1967 United Nations Protocol Relating to the Status of Refugees—which the United States has signed—states that “refugees shall have free access to the courts of law on the territory of all contracting states” and that they shall enjoy “the same treatment as a national in matters pertaining to access to the courts.” The United States’ actions violate this principle.
The signatories of this statement include people who live both within and outside of the borders of the United States. We believe that the people and government of the U.S. are not only accountable to ourselves, but to the world. We believe that all people, wherever they come from, should be free to move to wherever they choose. We call on others to join us in offering solidarity and welcome to all refugees and asylum seekers.
Signed (organizational affiliations are included for identification purposes only),
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Noam Chomsky, Professor Emeritus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology -
Rev. William J. Barber II, National President & Senior Lecturer, Repairers of the Breach -
Tom Morello, Musician -
Teju Cole, Writer and Photographer -
Molly Crabapple, Artist and Author -
Noura Erakat, Human Rights Attorney -
Yesenia Portillo, Organizer, CISPES – Committee In Solidarity with the People of El Salvador -
Sonia Nieto, Professor Emerita, Language, Literacy, and Culture, College of Education, University of Massachusetts, Member, National Academy of Education -
Mercedes Martinez, President, Puerto Rican Federation of Teachers -
Keeanga-Yamatta Taylor, Author, From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation -
Rory Fanning, Former US Army Ranger, War Resister -
Jennifer Rosenbaum, Global Labor Justice -
Lisa Lowe, Tufts University -
Phyllis Bennis, Institute for Policy Studies -
Maggie Martin, About Face -
Steven Mayers, Co-editor of Solito, Solita: Crossing Borders With Youth Refugees from Central America, Professor at City College of San Francisco -
Katherine Gallagher, Center for Constitutional Rights -
John Cavanaugh, Executive Director, Institute for Policy Studies -
Maude Barlow, Council of Canadians -
Sameerah Ahmad, United Students Against Sweatshops -
Dave Zirin, Sports Editor, The Nation -
Peter McLaren, Distinguished Professor in Critical Studies, College of Educational Studies, Chapman University -
Jesse Hagopian, Co-editor, “Teaching for Black Lives,” editor, Rethinking Schools -
Mike Davis, Professor Emeritus, University of California, Riverside -
Katherine Hite, Vassar College, -
Lisa Kaul, Vassar College -
Joseph Nevins, Vassar College -
Diana Taylor, Professor, New York University -
Jonathon Kahn, Professor of Religion, Vassar College -
Akua Gyamerah, University of California, San Francisco -
Tim Koechlin, Director, International Studies Program, Vassar College -
Pamela Yates, Film Director -
Eva Woods Peiró, Professor, Vassar College -
Nancy Kricorian, Writer -
Greg Dawes, North Carolina State University -
Kathleen Vernon, Stony Brook University -
Dao X. Tran, Editor -
Eileen Leonard, Professor of Sociology, Vassar College -
Mimi Lok, Voice of Witness -
Kate Doyle, National Security Archive -
Sophia Harvey, Associate Professor -
Terrence Fraser, Black4Palestine, Black Alliance for Peace -
Marlene Solís, El Colegio de la Frontera Norte -
Ricia Anne Chansky, Professor, University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez -
Ariana Vigil, Associate Professor, Women and Gender Studies, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill -
Daralee Vazquez-Garcia, New York Collective of Radical Educators -
Natalia Ortiz, New York Collective of Radical Educators -
Hector Agredano, Pasadena City College -
Shirley Leyro, PhD, Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice -
Katrina Powell, Virginia Tech -
Edna Bonhomme, Democratic Socialists of America and Frauen Streik Berlin -
Emily Satterwhite, Virginia Tech -
K.M. Powell, Virginia Tech -
John Whitley, Poor People’s Campaign -
Natalie Pien, Unitarian Universalist Church of Loudoun, Green Team -
Jason Rylander, Artist, Attorney, Activist -
Stacy Lovelace -
Shane Lovelace -
Laura Gillman, Professor Emerita, Virginia Tech -
Rachel Carle, ActionAid USA -
Doug Hertzler, ActionAid USA -
Brandon Wu, Director of Policy & Campaigns, ActionAid USA and Organizer, Sanctuary DMV -
Kirsten Wesselhoeft, Assistant Professor of Religion -
Brad Simpson, Associate Professor of History, University of Connecticut -
Alberta Guerra, ActionAid USA -
Adam Miyashiro, Literature Program, Stockton University -
Holly Painter, English Faculty, University of Vermont -
Yolanda Flores, University of Vermont -
Peter Spitzform, Librarian -
Emily Coderre, Researcher -
Anthony E Grudin, University of Vermont -
Kristen Kelley, Housing Advocate and Activist -
Andrew Sloin, Associate Professor of History, Baruch College, CUNY -
Teresa Mares, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Vermont -
Boris Dralyuk, Executive Editor, Los Angeles Review of Books -
Kenneth Allen, Senior Lecturer -
Eve Sicular, Musician, Isle of Klezbos -
Susan A.Comerford, University of Vermont -
David Slucki, College of Charleston -
Selene Colburn, Assistant Library Professor, University of Vermont -
Eric M. Fink, Associate Professor, Elon University School of Law -
Samuel Greenberg, Jewish Solidarity Caucus -
David Shneer, Louis P. Singer Chair, University of Colorado Boulder -
Nick Riemer, Departments of English and Linguistics, University of Sydney, Australia -
David Brophy, Department of History, University of Sydney, Australia -
Michael Gould-Wartofsky, Author, The Occupiers; PhD Candidate in Sociology, New York University -
Pam Campos, Former Air Force Servicemember, Executive Director of Common Defense -
Zakiyah Ansari, New York State Alliance for Quality Education -
Miguel Zavala, Co-President, California Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education -
Anaida Colon-Muniz, Ed.D., Professor of Scholarly Practice, Attallah College of Educational Studies, Chapman University -
Noah Asher Golden, Assistant Professor, Attallah College of Educational Studies, Chapman University -
Rosemary Rivera, Citizen Action New York -
Pranav Jani, Associate Professor of English, The Ohio State University -
Snehal Shingavi, Associate Professor, Department of English, The University of Texas, Austin -
Anton Ford, Associate Professor, University of Chicago -
Dana L. Cloud, Professor, Graduate Program Director, Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, Syracuse University -
Nagesh Rao, Lecturer, Colgate University -
Martin J. Ponce, Ohio State University -
Bill V. Mullen, Professor of American Studies, Purdue University -
Deepa Kumar, Associate Professor of Journalism and Media Studies -
Nancy Welch, Professor of English, University of Vermont -
Phil Gasper, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Notre Dame de Namur University -
Sam Nelson, Jobs With Justice -
Denise Guadalupe Romero, International Socialist Organization and LSSA 2320 of the United Auto Workers -
Gillian Russon, United Teachers of Los Angeles -
Khury Petersen-Smith, Institute for Policy Studies -
Celia Cuddy, University of Vermont
