During a time in which I felt much frustration, it was encouraging to see the MSU community come together at the No Ban No Wall rally held at the Rock on Farm Lane last January to protest the executive order.

In fact, the energy across the entire country in the immediate aftermath of the initial order was indeed a beautiful testament to the power of free speech in affecting change in our country. When a federal judge issued an emergency stay on the executive order, I was reminded of what makes this country great: separation of powers and the right of the people to peaceably assemble, uniquely American qualities that do not exist in countries like Syria.

However, just a few days ago, Trump signed a second executive order banning Muslim immigrants and refugees from entering the country once again. 

This new ban will have the same impact as the older version, but is written in a way to avoid challenges by the court. As students, it is important that we stay vigilant in advocating for the rights of our fellow students from the countries on the ban list. It is imperative that we call on our senators and representatives to ask them to nullify the executive order and publicly denounce the provisions therein. 

While the rewritten version of the executive order does not bar students with current visas from entering the country, it still blocks students who do not currently hold F-1 visas. This is still a dangerous provision because restricting opportunities for students from war-torn countries will only cause greater destabilization in countries like Syria, where a "lost generation" of young Syrians is growing. These Syrian students dream of going to college to study and one day rebuild and reform their broken country. Higher education is a pillar of development, and by denying access to education, our country is inadvertently worsening the situation in the Middle East and putting our national security at greater risk. 

To learn more about how to advocate for students displaced by conflict, follow Books Not Bombs on Facebook or feel free to contact us at msu@organize4syria.com if you have questions or want to learn more about how to get involved.