The University of Texas at Austin has declined to oppose President Donald Trump’s travel ban on Iran, despite a plea from its Iranian students. The students had called on the university to denounce the ban, take immediate legal action, and reaffirm support for Iranian students and scholars.
In a letter sent to interim university President Jim Davis on July 21, the group of students argued that the ban undermines the principles of the university and jeopardizes the futures of individual students.
The letter emphasized the significant contributions Iranian students and scholars have made to the university’s academic and research excellence, particularly in STEM fields.
It also noted that the university’s department of civil, architectural, and environmental engineering was named after Fariborz Maseeh, an Iranian-American entrepreneur and philanthropist. “This Proclamation undermines the very principles upon which UT Austin stands,” the letter stated.
“Iranian students and scholars have long been integral to the university’s academic and research excellence, particularly in STEM fields.”
The students urged the university to take bold and principled action, arguing that failing to act would not only harm individual students but also diminish the institution’s ethical and intellectual standing.
“UT Austin has long benefited from Iranian students’ academic contributions,” the letter said. “It must now stand in their defense. Failing to act not only jeopardizes the futures of individual students – it risks diminishing the ethical and intellectual standing of the institution itself.”
Despite the students’ plea, neither the university nor Davis have made any public comment on the ban. An Iranian student, who was involved in the letter, expressed concern about the impact of the ban on their future, stating that they now face the heartbreaking possibility of being denied entry to the US for a long time.
Many members of a 1,500-person Telegram group of Iranian students have reported being stuck in prolonged post-interview administrative processing, with some having their visas refused and others choosing to skip visa interviews.
The student emphasized that Iranians are facing collective punishment by the Trump administration, arguing that people must not be equated with their governments.
“Such blanket measures are neither reasonable nor fair, and they undermine the very principles of justice, academic freedom, and equal opportunity that the United States has long stood for,” the student said.
The travel ban applies to citizens from 12 countries, including Iran, Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
More than 12,300 Iranian students studied in the US during the 2023-2024 academic year, according to the US State Department.