NYU leadership warned international students and faculty to avoid “non-essential travel” over spring break in a Thursday email following the Trump administration’s travel ban that targets the citizens of 43 countries.
Jason Pina, the senior vice president for university life, and Sherif Barsoum, associate vice president of global services, wrote in the email that they had spoken with international students and faculty from countries currently facing restrictions and advised them to refrain from travel until policy implications for student visas are clarified.
“While we are not extending that same guidance to our entire international community, we would suggest that if you are uneasy or have some hesitancy about international travel right now, you consider remaining in the United States during the break out of an abundance of caution,” the email reads.
They also stipulated that all international students — regardless of nationality — who are currently studying away through an exchange program or at an NYU campus outside of the United States should remain in their respective countries as part of the student visa requirement.
In an executive order issued on his first day in office, President Donald Trump instructed the State Department to identify countries that “warrant partial or full suspension” on citizens’ travel. Department officials have proposed and reviewed a three-tier list for the travel ban. The first and most extreme tier includes 11 countries where travel to the United States is completely prohibited, the second has 10 countries where some visa holders are allowed to enter the country and the third has 22 countries that are given 60 days to “fix security issues” before moving to a more restricted tier.
The email said that students who do decide to travel should monitor policy developments and prepare for additional questioning from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. If travel restrictions are invoked while students are out of the country, they are advised to contact Campus Safety.
A university spokesperson previously told WSN that NYU “will comply with the law” and that all U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will only be permitted to enter the campus if they present a valid search warrant or subpoena. Students with further concerns are directed to the NYU Immigrant Rights Clinic, a clinic at NYU School of Law that is set to expand in light of heightened concerns around international students’ safety.
Pina and Barsoum did not respond to specific questions regarding student visas.
Contact Amanda Chen at [email protected].
