ACLS Joins AHA Amicus Brief in Support of Foreign Scholars

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) has signed on to a December 22, 2025 amicus brief filed by the American Historical Association (AHA) and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) in support of Harvard University’s lawsuit against the federal government over the university’s ability to host foreign scholars and students. Including ACLS, 17 scholarly humanities organizations joined the brief.

The brief emphasizes the importance of international scholars and students to American higher education, and the benefits and opportunities they bring to the United States. In support of Harvard’s case, the brief explains that using visa revocations and the like as a means to stifle political speech is a violation of the First Amendment.