Canadian University Teachers Warned Against Travelling to the United States
The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) has issued a formal warning to faculty members across Canada, urging them to reconsider or take extra precautions when planning travel to the United States. The advisory highlights growing concerns over how academics—particularly those from countries with strained diplomatic ties to the U.S., or those who have publicly criticized the Trump administration—may be treated at American borders.
According to CAUT, there have been increasing reports of Canadian scholars being subjected to heightened scrutiny, visa delays, or even denial of entry when attempting to enter the U.S. The association fears that political expression, country of origin, or research topics could be used to justify additional checks or even detention by U.S. authorities.
The advisory does not impose a travel ban but recommends that university staff thoroughly evaluate the necessity of travel and consider alternative arrangements such as virtual participation for conferences or meetings. CAUT emphasized that the current geopolitical climate, combined with increasingly unpredictable border policies, poses a risk to academic freedom and mobility.
This caution comes at a time when academic collaboration and international research exchanges are crucial, yet complicated by global political tensions.