admin An advocacy group representing Canada’s university and college academics is urging staff to avoid non-essential travel to the United States due to an “evolving political landscape.”
The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT), a federation of independent associations and trade unions representing 72,000 lecturers, researchers, and other academic staff at 120 institutions, issued updated travel guidance on Tuesday.
“CAUT strongly recommends that academic staff travel to the U.S. only when absolutely essential,” the advisory states.
The association also urged heightened caution for those in specific categories. This includes individuals who are citizens or residents of countries potentially affected by a travel ban, nationals from countries experiencing diplomatic tensions with the United States, those who have publicly criticised the Trump administration or its policies, and academics engaged in research that may be perceived as conflicting with the current U.S. government stance.
The warning further extends to travellers with passport stamps indicating recent visits to countries at risk of sanctions or strained relations, as well as academic staff who identify as transgender or whose travel documentation reflects a gender different from their sex at birth.
Where travel is deemed necessary, CAUT advises academic staff to give careful thought to the information stored on their electronic devices, and to take steps to safeguard sensitive data prior to crossing international borders.
“Individuals departing from or returning to Canada, especially those heading to the U.S., face growing exposure to preclearance inspections and border searches, which could jeopardise research confidentiality and academic freedom,” a supplementary notice added.
“Pending further updates, CAUT urges all members to explore virtual alternatives for conferences or collaborations and to travel only when absolutely required.”
The advisory goes on to highlight that concerns extend beyond the search of electronic devices, citing Presidential Executive Orders and an apparent intensification of ethnic and religious profiling by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers.
Just last month, the French Ministry of Education reported that a French scientist was denied entry to the U.S., allegedly for voicing criticism of the Trump administration’s research policies.
A spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, while declining to comment on individual cases due to privacy rules, confirmed that all travellers are subject to individual assessment upon arrival.
This warning follows a recent update by the Canadian federal government to its own U.S. travel advisory. That update advised Canadians to “expect heightened scrutiny” at border crossings, including potential searches of their electronic devices. It also noted that individuals denied entry may face detention while arrangements are made for their return to Canada.
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