Dear Program Stakeholder,
Thank you for your continued support of the SWT Cultural Exchange Program. We need your help! Please consider joining a letter writing campaign to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging the Administration to exclude international exchange programs from any future executive action suspending employment-based immigration. The campaign is being led by the Alliance for International Exchange. It should take only a few minutes for you to send your letter.
As you may already know, the White House issued a proclamation last week suspending some immigrant visas for 60 days. We are concerned that Section 6 of the proclamation, which directs a review within 30 days of nonimmigrant programs, may include international exchange programs.
As valued program stakeholders, you already know that cultural exchange programs help support our national security. Exchange visitors develop a more positive view of the United States and maintain friendships here for years to come. Additionally, these programs add more than a billion dollars to the American economy each year.
Please take a couple of minutes to write to Secretary Pompeo to reinforce that the Exchange Visitor Program is a cultural exchange, not a work program, and should not be included in any executive action regarding employment-based immigration.
Thank you in advance for your engagement.
Sincerely,
Kasey Simon
President
