Amid news reports of federal deportation actions against people lawfully in the U.S., Brown University is suggesting that students, staff, and faculty who hold green cards or visas should not travel internationally.
In an email sent Sunday, Brown Executive Vice President for Planning and Policy Russell C. Carey, told the campus community, “Out of an abundance of caution, we encourage international students, staff, faculty and scholars – including U.S. visa holders and permanent residents (or “green card holders”) – to consider postponing or delaying personal travel outside the United States until more information is available from the U.S. Department of State.”
The email continues: “Potential changes in travel restrictions and travel bans, visa procedures and processing, re-entry requirements, and other travel-related delays may affect travelers’ ability to return to the U.S. as planned.”
Carey’s email comes as lawyers for Brown Medicine doctor Dr. Rasha Alawieh say the assistant professor was sent out of the country after being detained at Boston’s Logan International Airport last week.
Carey’s email references “concerning reports affecting our own community of a couple of individuals refused entry upon returning to the United States after international travel and compelled to immediately depart.”
Carey acknowledged that campus members feel “uncertainty and anxiety” about these reports and provided email recipients with resources available at Brown. Carey says the school’s residence halls will remain open for students staying in Providence over the upcoming Spring recess.
At least two other members of Ivy League communities have faced actions by federal officials in recent weeks. Mahmoud Khalil, who attended Columbia as an M.A. student, was seized by federal immigration authorities earlier this month and is being detained in Louisiana. And the New York Times reported that a Columbia doctoral student, Ranjani Srinivasan, fled to Canada after federal authorities revoked her student visa.
According to news reports, the Trump administration is considering travel restrictions on 43 countries. The list includes 11 countries whose citizens would not be allowed entry into the U.S.
This story was reported by The Public’s Radio.
