It has been almost a week since President Donald Trump enacted an executive order to put a 90-day ban on travelers from seven predominantly Muslim countries, including Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya and Yemen.
The order also called for the suspension of refugee admission for 120 days, and an indefinite bar on Syrian refugees.
Since then, the immigration order has spurred a response from communities across the nation, some advocating for improvement to the vetting process of incoming travelers, and others expressing outrage that the order has broken ties with nations America formerly welcomed.
Locally, many international residents call southwest Michigan home, especially on several college campuses.
Since the order’s announcement Friday, it has encouraged discussion amongst students and staff about the importance of diversity and the continued effort to make those from a foreign land feel welcome.
Both Andrews University and Lake Michigan College welcome international students to study and become part of their campus.
Out of 3,171 students at Lake Michigan College, there are 147 international students, making up 5 percent of the student population, said Candice Elders, director of marketing.
Elders said that none of the students, including more than 30 applicants who are undergoing the international application process, are from the affected countries.
At this time, the regional two-year community college, with three campuses in Niles, Benton Harbor and South Haven, has not released anything advising students not to travel.
LMC political science professor Tiffany Bohm said she has always valued the perspective that international students have to share.
“They really provide a lot of diversity and insight from the areas here that we serve,” Bohm said. “From my perspective the most important thing is the worldly view of issues that might not otherwise be considered.”
Bohm said that she did not believe the order would have an immediate impact on the college, but it has not kept students from wondering what the order means.
To get the big picture of Trump’s most recent executive order, Bohm said she has led classroom discussions both explaining the order and evaluating how similar presidents have enacted orders in history that sought to improve citizen safety, but often had deeper implications.
She described the order enacted by President Franklin Roosevelt, following the attacks on Pearl Harbor that sought to intern Japanese Americans.
“The level of that protection and how it is executed is something that needs to be under constant evaluation,” Bohm said.
Continuing this discussion in the classroom is something Bohm said will continue as the nation’s leaders continue to make history.
LMC International Veteran Specialist Linda Pliml works to help students from more than 50 countries from Canada to Zimbabwe become enrolled at Lake Michigan College.
“We do the best we can to facilitate that so they can study and be happy,” Pliml said.
In a statement released to students on Jan. 29, Andrew’s University President Andrea Luxton emphasized the importance of international student presence on campus.
“As a very diverse campus, our international students add a richness to our campus that we highly value,” Luxton said.“ We want to reaffirm their importance to all of us in this community.”
Luxton said, that due to the order, it could take longer to process visas in international students home countries.
The statement further advised international students of the affected countries not to travel.
The Berrien Springs-based college would not comment further on the potential impacts that the order could have on its campus.
Gov. Rick Snyder also released a statement in which he said he valued international residents, and that he would be working with governors and the presidential administration.
“The President’s 120-day reassessment period is leading to a much-needed national dialogue on immigration policy, and I plan to be part of that discussion,” he said.