Since Jan. 20 President Donald Trump signed 46 executive orders causing many students to worry about their friends, futures and communities.
Many of the signed executive orders impact minority groups such as people of color, immigrants and LGBTQ+ communities.
Three executive orders redefine birthright citizenship, certified the deployment Immigration and Customs Enforcement across the United States and measures to increase security presence at the southern border.
Alex Yoder, a sophomore teaching English as a second language major, worries about her friends and how they are being affected by the new legislation.
“I have a lot of friends who are worried about immigration status, and I’m worried about that too, not for myself, but for them and their families,” she said. “I have a lot of trans friends who are having trouble with [their] passports.”
Another recent executive order said the United States only recognized the binary understanding of sex, disregarding concepts of “gender ideology.”
This executive order could impact individuals with a gender “X” marker, a marker that doesn’t align with their biological sex on their passports.
Lee Gilman, an associate professor with a Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience, said they have observed increased concern from students of the LGBTQ+ community, recent immigrants and international students.
They emphasized the importance of boundaries and limits when viewing emotional content online.
“Try setting limits, and putting up boundaries, both between yourself and how often you access information or let yourself receive information,” they said. “Different strategies can work for you to ensure you are taking care of yourself.”
One of the recent executive orders demands the end of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in federal initiatives, programs and policies.
Bell Sewell, a freshman architecture major, fully opposes “DEI erasure” and fears how it will affect her future career.
“DEI protects a lot of people, and now knowing that I cannot be hired because I’m a woman or part of the LGBTQ community is really scary to think about,” she said.
DEI protections are a framework used by institutions to promote fair treatment to all individuals regardless of sexual, gender, religious, race and socioeconomic backgrounds.
Rhys Wright, a sophomore special education major, believed that executive orders were a distraction.
“It’s distracting from other things that are happening; most of it gets struck down by a judge, less than 36 hours later,” they said. “It’s mostly covering up things that are actually being done like ICE.”
Wright spoke of the confusion and uncertainty surrounding the recent executive orders.
“It’s just fear because it’s uncertain what the long term consequences will be,” they said.
Yoder agreed with Wright and said the executive orders are “freaking us out on purpose.”
“It’s still a lot to deal with. So I’m just trying to not look at it right now, and then I’m gonna deal with it later,” she said. “I mean it’s only been like two weeks, it’s crazy.”
Gilman expressed an importance in finding community, even staff and faculty on campus can be “unexpected allies,” and referred struggling students to go to on-campus resources.
“Students’ worries are valid, and they are not alone,” Gilman said. “Faculty are very concerned with not only how it will affect them, their personal lives and their work lives, but also how it affects our students here, our community, our university.”
There are many resources, organizations and outlets at the Kent Campus that students can utilize like Counseling and Psychological Services, Student Accessibility Services and the CARES Center.
Zane Steiner is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].