In case you missed it, last Friday President Trump signed an executive order that immediately prevented refugees and immigrants from seven mostly-Muslim countries (Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Yemen) from entering the U.S. (The order halts the entry of refugees for 120 days, immigrants for three months, and indefinitely stops refugees from Syria.) The move caught everyone by surprise, including the Justice Department. The Department of Homeland Security scrambled to implement the order. Even those with valid visas and green cards were barred entry or forced to return to their point of origin.
In the wake of the order, there have been spontaneous protests, condemnations from corporations and both sides of the aisle, as well as a flurry of legal activity. Now, New York and Zurich-based Studio Libeskind has added its voice to those opposing the ban:
Studio Libeskind would not exist without immigration. Daniel Libeskind immigrated to the United States, fleeing persecution and Communist rulers in Poland. His wife, Nina, co-founder of the practice, is Canadian. Daniel and Nina run the studio with three partners from the US, Germany and Afghanistan. Our Studio in New York is comprised of the most dedicated and talented architects and designers from more than a dozen countries. On any given day one can hear French, Spanish, Farsi, Italian, German, Chinese, Russian, Hebrew, Dutch, Turkish, Swedish, Arabic, and Korean spoken. This diversity makes us stronger and makes this practice uniquely American, not the other way around.
The Trump travel ban is an affront to our freedom and core values. It affects our employees, colleagues and collaborators. Now is the time for us to join hands and take a stand. On January 21, the Studio brought nearly a 100 people to march on Washington DC. We are actively boycotting companies that support the current administration’s policies. But there is still more to do. We invite our colleagues in the architecture, design and construction communities to join us.
Where does your firm stand? Let us know in the comments or email us at: editor[at]archpaper.com
(Also see: SCI-Arc issues statement in support of immigrants, students in light of Trump’s anti-Muslim travel ban)
