Ohio University President Roderick McDavis released a statement Sunday recommending OU students from seven predominantly Muslim countries do not leave the United States following President Donald Trump’s enactment of an executive order on immigration.
Trump’s executive order was enacted Friday and suspended the entry of all refugees to the United States for 120 days and blocked the entry of Syrian refugees indefinitely. It also banned citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the United States for 90 days.
A federal judge blocked part of the executive order Saturday and prevented the deportation of some who had arrived in the United States after the order was enacted. The White House announced Sunday that individuals from the selected countries with green cards would not be prevented from entering the country.
About 17,000 students throughout the U.S. from the seven countries named in the order were granted admission to the United States during the 2015-16 academic year, according to the Associated Press.
“Ohio University is committed to promoting an atmosphere where understanding and acceptance of cultural and ethnic differences are guaranteed,” McDavis said in a letter to the OU community. “A climate that represents and embraces different cultures enhances the University’s ability to provide all of its students with the experiences necessary to successfully compete and achieve in an increasingly diverse and complex society.”
McDavis said anyone who could be affected by the executive order can reach out to International Student and Faculty Services or email the department at isfs@ohio.edu. He added that the university complies with federal requirements when it comes to handling the university’s international programs.
“We are committed to admitting students and recruiting faculty in a manner consistent with the tenets we hold true, and we are committed to fostering an environment that prepares them for success as global citizens,” he said in the letter. “We will continue to monitor these national discussions and will keep the University community informed of important developments as they unfold.”
Other university presidents throughout Ohio released statements regarding Trump’s executive order.
Kent State University President Beverly Warren also recommended international students avoid leaving the country because of the possibility they might not be readmitted. University of Toledo President Sharon L. Gaber issued a statement saying she was in agreement with the concerns raised in a statement from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities on the executive order.
McDavis said university officials are paying attention to any changes in immigration laws or policies that could affect students, faculty and staff, particularly international students and undocumented immigrants.
He said it wasn’t the first time the university had addressed legislation regarding immigration in recent months. The OU Board of Trustees discussed the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program at its executive meeting Jan. 20.
In December, McDavis signed Pomona College's Statement in Support of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program and our Undocumented Immigrant Students in favor of protecting undocumented immigrants raised in the United States.
“The DACA program has allowed many students to attend Ohio University in pursuit of the transformative education we champion,” McDavis said in the Sunday letter.
