In the wake of President Trump’s recent executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries, IU faculty and administration met with affected students Tuesday and discussed visa interviews and counseling services.
A second informational session will be 5-7 p.m. Thursday in the Frangipani Room of the Indiana Memorial Union.
Christopher Viers, associate vice president of International Services at IU, said Tuesday that the University will support the students in any way it can.
“There should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that this executive order runs entirely contrary to what we hold dear at IU,” Viers said. “We are actively working against this executive order.”
Viers, along with Rendy Schrader, director of Student and Scholar Advising, laid out resources for those affected and broke down the details of the order.
Visa interviews are now required by all applicants coming to the United States.
This will result in longer waits because time for interviews will have to be made for all potential entrants.
The seven-country ban directly affects individuals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.
Individuals from these countries will not be allowed to enter the U.S. or apply for U.S. visas for at least 90 days.
Schrader said the safest course of action is to remain in the U.S. and currently no one is in danger of being deported.
“Our best advice is don’t travel,” Schrader said. “Don’t leave the U.S.”
Viers said the students of IU especially those from other countries are the priority for all IU administration and IU will provide aid to those who need it with various resources.
Students can call Associate General Counsel Angela Adams in the Office of the Vice President and General Counsel at 317-274-7455.
The Office of International Services can be reached at 812-855-9086.
During non-business hours, after 5 p.m., students and those affected should contact IU Police Department at 812-855-4111.
A group of attorneys will also be working pro bono on immigration-related cases and can be contacted through OIS at ois@iu.edu or 812-855-9086.
Counseling and Psychological Services will also be working with students during this time, Schrader said.
Both Viers and Schrader encouraged any students who had issues to contact the University and OIS if they had any concerns. Viers said while his office is having trouble coping with the numbers of concerned calls, it will do everything it can to help.
“You are our priority,” Viers said.
