CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A leading international academic association will not consider the city of Cleveland for future conventions, citing recently enacted and pending Ohio legislation affecting LGBTQ rights and immigration enforcement.

In a letter to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine on Friday, the International Studies Association, a 7,000-member organization of scholars from more than 80 countries, said state laws restricting transgender rights and agreements between Ohio officials and federal immigration authorities would jeopardize the safety and inclusion of its members.

The group, which holds about a dozen conferences worldwide each year, said it will not pursue Cleveland as a host city. Its annual convention, drawing 5,000 to 6,500 participants, remains scheduled for Columbus in 2026, the letter

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