Carry your documents with you, exercise discretion at demonstrations and protests, watch the things you say on social media and be wary when traveling, wrote the Southern Illinois University administration in an email to its international student body.
The email, signed by Tina Sickinger, Director of International Student and Scholar Services at SIU, was sent at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 28, hours after the university confirmed earlier that day that one of its international students had their visa revoked.
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The reason for the visa revocation is still unknown, and as of the evening on Sunday, March 30, SIU has yet to provide any further information on the matter.
“We understand that recent news may be unsettling, and we want to reassure you that our office is here to support you,” read the email. “While we do not wish to cause alarm, we are sharing the following guidance to help you stay informed, prepared, and protected during this time.”
This time is one that is increasingly tumultuous for international students, one that has resulted in the revocation of over 300 student visas and several high-profile detentions across the country since January.
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SIU, among other universities, are now forced into the balancing act that is protecting their students while complying with increasingly restrictive immigration policies dealt by President Donald Trump’s administration.
As the spring semester blooms, the SIU student body, specifically international students, are now compelled to function under heightened stress, navigating uncertainty around their immigration status and their rights.
SIU’s email went on to emphasize the importance of international students carrying photocopies of immigration documents with them at all times, as well as proof of enrollment at SIU, records of all U.S. residences in which they have lived, and to make sure that their contact information is up to date.
Sickinger suggested that international students “use caution on social media,” remain “mindful of how posts may be perceived,” and encouraged students to “exercise discretion when participating in political demonstrations or protests.”
The university administration also acknowledged in the email that, while peaceful protest is a right, “such activity can sometimes be misinterpreted and may carry risks to your immigration status.”
The revocation at SIU, coupled with the Trump administration’s intensified action against students that protest and post in opposition of the U.S. or Israeli government, has caused concern among the international communities at SIU.
A protest held at Carbondale City Hall on Saturday had been scheduled long before the visa revocation incident, however the means for the protest was relevant to the developing situation, and added to the concerning climate.
The peaceful protest, organized by the Southern Illinois Immigrant Rights Project, advocated for the city of Carbondale to hold sanctuary status for immigrants in southern Illinois.
Protestors asked that the city provide resources to their immigrant population and amplified immigrant voices through speeches on the steps of city hall.
At the protest and elsewhere in international student spaces over the weekend, many SIU students expressed concern regarding the university’s position and place in the matter, anxiously awaiting any formal proclamation from SIU specific to the revocation of their peer’s visa.
While many international students are willing to speak out about these issues, none are willing to give on-the-record interviews in fear of jeopardizing their own visa status and subsequently their education.
Despite their own concerns, many students were much less worried about themselves and more focussed on expressing empathy toward the unnamed student whose visa had already been revoked. The shared sentiment among many in the international community is that whatever it is that that student is going through, none of them wants to be the one going through it next.
Activist organizations around southern Illinois have begun to increase their efforts in addressing the worries of students, and have started to coordinate events that spread awareness about the rights of immigrants and those here on visa.
According to the email, the International Support Group at SIU will begin meeting weekly to provide assistance in a “safe and supportive space for international students to discuss challenges, concerns, and experiences with others.”
The end of the email provided an extensive list of additional resources that directed international students to websites aimed at helping them navigate the complexities of immigration law.
For more information about the rights of international students and for further support from SIU, visit https://siu.edu/community-of-care/.
The Daily Egyptian will continue monitoring this situation and asks that if anyone has information regarding the visa revocation incident or any other cases of immigration-related challenges faced by SIU students, please email jbrandhorst@dailyegyptian.com.
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