January 18, 2007
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Rice:
Last October, we wrote to the Department of State as well as to the Department of Homeland Security to register our concern over the decision of government officials to deny entry into the United States of Professor Adam Habib, a citizen of South Africa. (A copy of that letter is enclosed for your convenience.) That decision, as with similar governmental decisions to bar entry into this country of academics scheduled to meet with their counterparts in various academic fora, struck us then and continues to strike us as at odds with this nation's historic commitment to the free exchange of ideas. Because Professor Habib accepted an invitation to participate in a meeting this year sponsored by the American Sociological Association, we hoped that the Department of State would reconsider its position and facilitate his entering the country. Much to our dismay, however, Professor Habib informed us today that he was notified earlier this week by the American consulate in Johannesburg that the State Department has revoked the visas of his wife and his two children for travel to the United States, thereby seeming to preclude the possibility of his being issued a visa. No reason was given for this extraordinary decision, just as no reason was given for the action directed earlier against Professor Habib.
We urge that you personally review these decisions. If left uncorrected, they will take their toll on the willingness of those in the academic community abroad to visit with their counterparts in this country and indeed on the reputation of our country as an advocate of the free search for knowledge.
Sincerely,
Jonathan Knight
Director
Program in Academic Freedom and Tenure