The Crux Weekly: Trump's Executive Orders and its impact on Rutgers, Marquette, and Students who stood up for Gaza
<div class="captioned-image-container"><figure><a class="image-link image2 is-viewable-img" href="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1622864352372-a68fa7dac64e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw3fHxnYXphfGVufDB8fHx8MTczODM0OTMzMnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=1080" target="_blank"><div class="image2-inset"><source type="image/webp" /><img alt="people gathering on street during daytime" class="sizing-normal" height="3376" src="https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1622864352372-a68fa7dac64e?crop=entropy&cs=tinysrgb&fit=max&fm=jpg&ixid=M3wzMDAzMzh8MHwxfHNlYXJjaHw3fHxnYXphfGVufDB8fHx8MTczODM0OTMzMnww&ixlib=rb-4.0.3&q=80&w=1080" title="people gathering on street during daytime" width="6000" /><div class="image-link-expand"><div class="pencraft pc-display-flex pc-gap-8 pc-reset"><div class="pencraft pc-reset icon-container restack-image"><svg class="lucide lucide-refresh-cw" fill="none" height="20" stroke="currentColor" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><path d="M3 12a9 9 0 0 1 9-9 9.75 9.75 0 0 1 6.74 2.74L21 8"></path><path d="M21 3v5h-5"></path><path d="M21 12a9 9 0 0 1-9 9 9.75 9.75 0 0 1-6.74-2.74L3 16"></path><path d="M8 16H3v5"></path></svg></div><div class="pencraft pc-reset icon-container view-image"><svg class="lucide lucide-maximize2" fill="none" height="20" stroke="currentColor" stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width="2" viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="20" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg"><polyline points="15 3 21 3 21 9"></polyline><polyline points="9 21 3 21 3 15"></polyline><line x1="21" x2="14" y1="3" y2="10"></line><line x1="3" x2="10" y1="21" y2="14"></line></svg></div></div></div></div></a><figcaption class="image-caption">Photo by <a href="https://thecrux.substack.com/true">Rami Gzon</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure></div><p>Friends! God is faithful. May this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxti7euyKLU">Maori worship song</a> remind use that</p><blockquote><p>“He never told me it would easy. He said, Suffering would come. But He promised Peace. Peace. Peace.”</p></blockquote><p>Our God promised peace. May we find our strength in the Rock of Our Salvation as we stand at the intersection of faith, politics and education.</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading The Crux! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input class="email-input" name="email" tabindex="-1" type="email" /><input class="button primary" type="submit" value="Subscribe" /><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div><p>Here are 5 things we believe are worth your time</p><ol><li><p><a href="https://redeemingbabel.org/the-after-party/worship-album/">Redeeming Babel Worship Album</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-155645399">Know Your Rights Analysis from Around the United States</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/01/24/rutgers-cancels-hbcu-event-align-trump-dei-orders">Rutgers Cancels HBCU Event</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://marquettewire.org/4131610/news/what-to-know-about-how-trumps-executive-orders-could-impact-marquette/">How Trump’s Executive Orders Impact Marquette</a></p></li><li><p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-cancel-student-visas-all-hamas-sympathizers-white-house-2025-01-29/">President Trump Threatens Students Who Stood Up for Gaza</a></p></li></ol><p><strong>SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER</strong></p><p><a href="https://redeemingbabel.org/the-after-party/worship-album/">Songs for the After Party</a></p><p><a href="https://redeemingbabel.org/the-after-party/worship-album/">"Songs for The After Party"</a> is a worship album developed by Redeeming Babel in collaboration with The Porter's Gate. This collection of modern hymns aims to guide Christians toward a more Christ-centered approach to politics through worship and song. The album is part of the broader initiative, "The After Party," which provides resources to help believers navigate political engagement in light of biblical truth. Each song is designed to encourage reflection on political identity and promote unity within the church. Redeeming Babel releases a new song each month, accompanied by prayers, readings, lyrics, and sheet music to enrich personal and communal worship. By integrating these songs into worship, the initiative seeks to reframe political engagement, emphasizing humility, mercy, and justice as central to the Christian political identity. The project underscores the belief that worship and song play a crucial role in shaping perspectives and fostering a more unified and Christ-centered community. This is a wonderful accompaniment to <a href="https://library.intervarsity.org/library/gods-good-news-about-politics">God’s Good News About Politics</a>! <a href="https://redeemingbabel.org/the-after-party/worship-album/">Check it out!</a></p><p><strong>STATISTICS</strong></p><p>There are no undocumented people in the kingdom of God. God calls us to care for immigrants. Full stop. So we seek His wisdom which He will give without measure if we ask Him and we open ourselves to be conduits for His love because it drives out all fear. Austin Kocher covers immigration in the United States and this breakdown of <a href="https://substack.com/home/post/p-155645399">Know Your Rights resources</a> is an exceptionally helpful resource for knowing exactly how Trump’s executive orders affect those most vulnerable under this administration. As we shared last week, 40% of students are immigrants, children of immigrants or international students on campuses in the United States. May Jesus meet them through us as we seek justice, love mercy and walk humbly after God.</p><p><strong>STORIES</strong></p><p><a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/01/24/rutgers-cancels-hbcu-event-align-trump-dei-orders">Rutgers Cancels HBCU Event</a></p><p>Yesterday, Rutgers University's Center for Minority Serving Institutions was supposed to host a virtual mini-conference titled <a href="https://www.insidehighered.com/news/quick-takes/2025/01/24/rutgers-cancels-hbcu-event-align-trump-dei-orders">"HBCUs and Registered Apprenticeship” . It was canceled.</a> The decision aligned with recent executive orders from President Donald Trump's administration that target diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) initiatives. The event was organized in collaboration with Jobs for the Future, an organization funded by the U.S. Department of Labor to enhance access to registered apprenticeships for underrepresented groups. In an email to registered attendees, the center stated that due to the executive orders, they were instructed to cease all DEIA-related activities under the auspices of Jobs for the Future. May all who were prepared to serve and those needed those connections still find one another for mutual benefit and flourishing.</p><p><a href="https://marquettewire.org/4131610/news/what-to-know-about-how-trumps-executive-orders-could-impact-marquette/">How Trump’s Executive Orders Impact Marquette</a></p><p>In the initial week of President Donald Trump's second term, his administration issued over two dozen executive orders, several of which could significantly affect higher education institutions like Marquette University. Ralph Weber, Marquette's vice president and general counsel,<a href="https://marquettewire.org/4131610/news/what-to-know-about-how-trumps-executive-orders-could-impact-marquette/"> briefed the University Academic Senate on four key orders </a>and their potential campus implications. They included the termination of Federal Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Initiatives, Ending Birthright Citizenship, Visas and Travel Bans and National Institutes of Health (NIH) Communications and Grant Work. I have found it helpful to remember that national policies have impacts in contexts like Marquette. We can pray for, support and act on behalf of those in our communities wrestling with what it means to respond with love and justice in this contentious environment.</p><p><a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-cancel-student-visas-all-hamas-sympathizers-white-house-2025-01-29/">President Trump Threatens Students Who Stood Up for Gaza</a></p><p>Criticism of Israel's well documented campaign of destruction in Gaza and the ongoing violent occupation of the West Bank is not the same as antisemitism. But an executive order from Trump seeks to conflate the two and<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-cancel-student-visas-all-hamas-sympathizers-white-house-2025-01-29/"> deport students who participated in nationwide protests </a>last year. This is a violation of free speech and a continued effort to silence healthy dialogue and conversation about the ongoing conflict in the Holy Land. We pray for the overwhelmingly peaceful protesters and activists who desire justice and reconciliation to be strengthened to endure and fortified to speak truth in love.</p><p>May God bless you as you seek to love and serve Him at the nexus of faith, education and politics. He is faithful!</p><p>– jonathan</p><div class="subscription-widget-wrap-editor"><div class="subscription-widget show-subscribe"><div class="preamble"><p class="cta-caption">Thanks for reading The Crux! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.</p></div><form class="subscription-widget-subscribe"><input class="email-input" name="email" tabindex="-1" type="email" /><input class="button primary" type="submit" value="Subscribe" /><div class="fake-input-wrapper"><div class="fake-input"></div><div class="fake-button"></div></div></form></div></div>