When it comes to Donald Trump’s travel ban, UF law student Zara Asante said it’s near impossible to find someone who could discuss it objectively, without letting their emotions show.
The first-year law student didn’t wish to judge the ban’s morality, or get into a screaming fight; she wanted to find a way to understand its legality.
“This is one of those topics that everyone has an opinion on,” the 34-year-old said, “and I hadn’t encountered someone who could talk about it without getting emotional.”
On Wednesday, Asanta attented a panel at UF’s Levin College of Law, where three UF law professors spoke about the legality of Trump’s ban, which entry for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries.
Faculty members who organized the panel had planned to hold the event in a room that holds 73 people, but minutes before the event began, they had to set up a live video feed for the crowd of about 130.
The three professors, Darren Hutchinson, Berta Hernandez-Truyol and Shalini Ray did not make definitive claims about the ban’s lawfulness, but they were apprehensive about certain aspects of it, such as reports of travelers being unable to ask for asylum once reaching the U.S.
Ray, who teaches asylum and refugee law, discussed how U.S. law creates different types of non-citizens — such as refugees, green card holders and special visa holders.
Hernandez-Truyol, who teaches constitutional law and international law, said there’s nothing wrong with executive orders as long as they don’t break federal laws. But if that happens, there are federal procedures, called remedies, that are put in place to help people.
Hernandez-Truyol said she’s reviewed the four law suits already led against Trump’s travel ban.
“I am very excited to see the level of interest that is on this topic,” she said.
Hutchinson, a remedies professor, said the ban could be challenged by citizens who feel wronged.
“And frankly the best results come from courts of law rather than just hashing it out on social media,” Hutchinson said.
Asante, a British citizen, said she’s not interested in staying in the U.S. after witnessing the recent tumultuous political climate.
“I don’t like this system,” she said. “I’ll probably leave quite quickly when I graduate.”
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