A message from RIT President Bill Destler regarding U.S. Presidential executive orders pertaining to immigration
Date: Mar. 8, 2017
On March 6, President Donald Trump issued a new executive order that restricts entry into the United States for 90 days for individuals from six countries: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. The new executive order is effective on March 16, 2017 and revokes the prior executive order issued in January. The new order does impact members of the RIT community. Our campus leadership is carefully reviewing the details and we are actively responding to help students, faculty and staff in need.
To reiterate what we stated in January, we want to reassure the RIT international community that they are welcome members of the RIT family. The university is committed to protecting the rights and opportunities currently available to all members of our academic community. We will continue to foster an environment that promotes education, research and international collaboration.
Question: What countries are affected by the new executive order that restricts international travel to the United States?
Answer: Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. Iraq, originally included in January, is not on the new list. The new executive order applies to foreign nationals of the designated countries noted above who:
Q: If I am from one of the affected countries, can I make plans to travel back home or anywhere outside the United States?
A: We continue to advise our students from the six designated countries to not leave the United States as they risk being restricted from re-entry. We also have the same advice for international faculty and staff from the listed nations who may be planning to travel outside the United States for personal or business reasons. RIT has 32 students on its Henrietta campus who are from the affected countries. It appears from a preliminary review of the executive order that our students are not immediately affected if they are currently in the United States, or are outside the United States with a valid visa already in hand.
Staff in the International Students Services Office at 585-475-6943 are available to answer questions and offer guidance.
Q: What is RIT doing about prospective students who are applying to the university from the listed nations?
A: RIT continues to review applications for admission and will work with all accepted students to provide information and assistance in the enrollment process. For questions on enrollment, contact Diane Ellison, associate vice president, at dmeges@rit.edu or 475-7284.
Q: Can my department recruit a candidate from one of the listed nations to work at RIT or visit for a research project?
A: Anyone considering recruiting/inviting researchers or candidates for post-doc, full time, or visiting positions from one of the listed countries should contact Lori Sykes, human resources compliance manager, at ljspsn@rit.edu or 475-7393.
It’s important to note that visa processing times may take weeks, or in some cases, a few months. And, starting on March 16, citizens of the listed nations will not be able to apply for a visa until at least mid-June 2017 at the earliest. In addition, as of April 3, the ability to expedite H-1B visas will be temporarily suspended for up to six months. This means that managers who were planning to hire foreign nationals needing H-1B support into faculty positions for the fall may need to plan for a 6-10 month approval process (current H-1B processing times).
Q: The new executive order does not apply to all foreign nationals. Who is not affected?
Q: Where can I find additional information?
A: Please view the following resources:
Cordially Yours,
Bill Destler
President, RIT
A message from RIT President Bill Destler regarding U.S. Presidential executive orders pertaining to immigration
Date: Jan. 29, 2017
As many of you are aware, U.S. President Donald Trump issued several executive orders pertaining to immigration on Friday. These orders directly and immediately impact members of the RIT community. Campus leadership is carefully reviewing the details of the executive order and we are already actively responding to help students and faculty in need.
RIT has long welcomed students from around the world to our campus. We currently have 2,700 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 100 countries enrolled in our university, with alumni living in 123 nations.
We have advised our students from the affected countries to not leave the United States during the next 90 days as they will likely be restricted from re-entry. We also have the same advice for international faculty and staff from the listed nations who may be planning to travel outside the United States for personal or business reasons.
We want to reassure the RIT international community that they are welcome members of the RIT family. The university is committed to protecting the rights and opportunities currently available to all members of our academic community. We will continue to foster an environment that promotes education, research and international collaboration. Specifically, RIT:
You have my assurance that we will continue to closely monitor and evaluate these developments.
Cordially Yours,
Bill Destler
President, RIT
For those in the RIT community who would like to take action to make their voices heard to decision-makers at all levels of government, the university presents key opportunities to get involved:
RIT joins other universities to support the international community
Legal resources:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services legal services
American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) online Immigration Lawyer Referral Service
The American Bar Association legal services listed by state
Know Your Rights Resources
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): What to Do If You’re Stopped By Law Enforcement
National Immigration Law Center (NILC): Everyone Has Basic Rights No Matter Who is President
United We Dream: Know Your Rights; Protect Yourself Against Immigration Raids
Other Resources
American Council on Education (ACE)
Gray Matter discussion “Truth: how do you decide what to believe”
Friday, March 24 from 12-1 p.m. in the MOSAIC Center (SAU)