The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and 150 other leading scientific organizations and universities sent a letter to President Trump urging him to rescind his controversial executive order preventing immigration from seven countries. They said it would harm America’s science and technology capabilities by discouraging bright students, scholars, scientists, and innovators from coming to the United States to study, attend conferences, work, and build businesses. Nearly a hundred leading high-tech companies also opposed the order on similar grounds.
In addition, an open letter signed by tens of thousands of academics, including sixty-two Nobel laureates, warned that the order “significantly damages American leadership in education and research” (https://notoimmigrationban.com). In a separate statement, the International Council for Science, a group representing scientific bodies in 142 countries, also denounced the ban.