The recent presidential order to the United States Department of Homeland Security and US Immigration and Customs Enforcement to pursue detention and removal of foreign students who have participated in university protests as allegedly falling under 8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3) is detrimental to the aim of reconciling university students and faculty.  These actions are disproportionate, unnecessary, and discriminatory. Expulsion, detention, and deportations will only lead to more trauma and polarization that will negatively impact the learning environment within university campuses. The Israeli Palestinian conflict has had a devastating level of human suffering that has shaken the world. Students on all sides have engaged in contrasting expressions of unitary solidarity resulting in frustration and pain as there has been little bridging communication. There have been significant instances of intimidation and harassment within social media and in the physical space effectively transformed campuses into divided communities and there is a need for reconciliation, mutual respect, and entente. 

Expulsion, detention, deportation, and denial of the right to graduate or receive an academic degree is devastating for the students because it denies them the right to a life’s project as they are prevented from pursuing their future academic or professional aspirations. This type of action is more often associated with authoritarian institutions. It will not promote peace within campuses because it this is a disproportional policy that fails to recognize the vulnerability of the students and does not advance healing dialogue. The principle of academic freedom is fundamental for the maintenance of  faculties and student bodies that are able to tackle critical issues for discussion without penalization.

It is essential to pursue dialogue to create sustainable, peaceful campuses for all students and faculty founded on the commitment to bridging solidarity between groups.  There is an urgent need to pursue mediation between students and faculty of different views in order to achieve a common understanding of shared feelings of harassment, discrimination, fear, pain, and isolation.  There is a need for good-faith efforts to consolidate university communities with compassion, constructive, open dialogue with mutual respect, and full enjoyment of human rights by all.