Is Yeshiva University Criticizing Trump’s Immigration Ban?

Richard Joel

By Josh Nathan-Kazis January 31, 2017

Yeshiva University, the flagship educational institution of Modern Orthodox Judaism, issued a statement Monday that appeared to criticize President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily banning immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.

“There is continuing turmoil regarding US immigration policy,” said YU president Richard Joel in the statement. “Yeshiva University is unwavering in its support of religious rights and societal values. Ensuring spiritual and personal freedoms are fundamental to the country, our community and our university.”

In a separate statement reportedly sent to students and faculty at YU’s Cardozo Law School, and posted online by the Cardozo chapter of the National Lawyers Guild, Joel said that the university would not release information about students to the government without a court order, and would seek to assist students impacted by any change to the Obama-era policy that allowed some immigrants brought to the nation as children to have work permits.

“The Administration has been following these unfolding events and takes their implications most seriously,” Joel said in that statement.

In wake of #MuslimBan, Yeshiva University & Cardozo Law School announce they will be #SanctuaryCampus. #NoBanNoWall. pic.twitter.com/9NQ16cGSEh

— Cardozo NLG (@CardozoNLG) January 30, 2017

Contact Josh Nathan-Kazis at [email protected] or on Twitter, @joshnathankazis.

Josh Nathan-Kazis is a staff writer for the Forward. He covers charities and politics, and writes investigations and longform.

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