During his first two weeks in office, President Donald J. Trump issued a series of executive orders that reshaped federal policies, sparking national debate and concern.
Trump’s newly signed executive orders reflect some of the promises he made during his 2024 presidential campaign, such as unconstitutionally ending birthright citizenship, eliminating federal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, ordering the mass deportation of undocumented immigrants, withdrawing from both the Paris Climate Agreement and the World Health Organization, declaring a National Energy Emergency and pardoning Jan. 6, 2021 rioters.
“My recent election is a mandate to completely and totally reverse a horrible betrayal and all of these many betrayals that have taken place, and to give the people back their faith, their wealth, their democracy and indeed, their freedom,” Trump said at his inaugural address. “From this moment on, America’s decline is over.”
In an email sent on Jan. 27 to the Stony Brook University community, Interim President Richard L. McCormick acknowledged the anxieties of some students over the potential impacts of the executive orders and stressed the University’s commitment to its values.
“I also recognize that numerous recent federal executive orders have raised questions and concerns,” McCormick wrote. “At the heart of our university lies a resolute commitment to delivering the highest quality education, research, and healthcare; facilitating opportunity and upward mobility to members of our community; and maintaining a welcoming and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive regardless of background, nationality, or circumstance.”
McCormick also emphasized that the University will balance these values with legal obligations.
“We will stay true to these values and protect the well-being of our entire community while we also adhere to the law,” he wrote.
The University reaffirmed its stance on student privacy, clarifying that Stony Brook upholds the State University of New York Board of Trustees Resolution to defend student privacy rights. The administration requires a subpoena, court order, search warrant or other applicable exception to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act before releasing student information to immigration or law enforcement agencies.
Noah Bernstein, a sophomore majoring in globalization studies and international relations, expressed concern about the broader impact of the executive orders.
“I’ve felt unheard since the inauguration of Trump. The recent executive orders will likely impact my ability to speak freely and express my opinion, and meet people from different paths of life as me,” Bernstein said. “I’d like to see the Stony Brook administration commit to protecting all students, no matter who they are.”
Trump’s executive order to end government DEI programs has been criticized by the American Civil Liberties Union, who accused the administration of taking “a ‘shock and awe’ approach that upends longstanding, bipartisan federal policy meant to open doors that had been unfairly closed.”
Ehan Azad, a freshman majoring in political science, has had mixed reactions to Trump’s recent executive orders. His primary concern revolves around the possibility of people he knows being deported due to their pro-Palestine stance.
“I’ve felt amazing [since the inauguration of Trump], he has some traits that I really like,” Azad said. “There are some problems with it, like I’m sometimes worried about the Palestinians [and] it might hurt me personally since he made an order about how the pro-Palestinian students might get deported.”
NPR reported that Trump aims to address antisemitism by deporting international students involved in pro-Palestinian protests, but also highlighted concerns that “the order has a lot of people worried that the threat of deportation is being used to censor free speech and criticism of Israel.”
Moeez Ahmed, a senior majoring in political science, says he sees no significant difference between Trump and former President Biden on their policies regarding Israel. However, he criticizes Trump for his controversial stance on birthright citizenship.
“I don’t really feel a difference if Trump is president [due to his policies on] birthright citizenship and his stance on Israel,” Ahmed said. “If you’re born in a specific country [then] it’s your God-given right to be a citizen of that country; you weren’t born anywhere else.”
Birthright citizenship is protected under the 14th Amendment, which states, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the [U.S.] and of the State wherein they reside.” As reported by The Guardian, Trump’s executive order denies birthright citizenship to children if the “mother was unlawfully present in the [U.S.] and the father was not a [U.S.] citizen or lawful permanent resident at the time of said person’s birth,” or “when that person’s mother’s presence in the [U.S.] at the time of said person’s birth was lawful but temporary.”
A federal judge ruled the order “blatantly unconstitutional” after 22 state attorney generals and civil rights groups filed a lawsuit against the order. CNN reported the Trump administration will contest the ruling, but the fate of this executive order will ultimately be decided in the courts.
In his email, McCormick urged students facing immigration-related concerns to seek assistance and to “call the New York State Office for New Americans hotline at 1-800-566-7636 to access answers to immigration and naturalization questions and for referrals to free legal help and programs.” Additionally, students with concerns regarding the “pause in various federally funded research projects” should “notify your Dean and the Office of Research and Innovation (formerly the Office of the Vice President for Research).”
