Northwestern administrators cautioned international students, faculty and staff about potential travel risks as federal immigration policies tighten across the country.
In an email sent to the university community Tuesday, Provost Kathleen Hagerty and Vice President for Operations and Chief Operating Officer Luke Figora addressed “high-profile immigration actions” across the country, including visa revocations and potential travel restrictions.
The email advised international students to ensure their documentation is in order and to direct questions about their NU-affiliated immigration status to the Office of International Students and Scholars.
The announcement follows reports of universities and colleges nationwide urging international students to avoid travel due to uncertain reentry policies.
Multiple schools, including New York University and Brown University, have warned their international students against any “non-essential travel.” Columbia University and Cornell University posted similar warnings on their websites.
As of April 1, NU has not made any comments directly advising its students against travel.
Contrary to schools like Columbia, which organized a Q&A on immigration policy and compiled a list of advisors and on-campus initiatives’ phone numbers to support students, NU pointed to more indirect resources.
The email suggested students access NUhelp, a general list of wellness resources, and NUGuardian, a mobile app for students to enhance their personal safety by designating phone contacts as virtual “guardians.
In the case of an emergency, administrators also prompted students to reach out to NU police or an immigration attorney if approached by federal officials on or off campus. If an agent produces identification and a signed warrant, students should comply with their order, the email reads.
“The University will follow the law. At the same time, we will work to ensure the rights of each member of our community and will connect them with appropriate assistance, when necessary, to help protect those rights,” administrators wrote in the email.
NU said in the email it will continue to monitor developments and provide updates as federal policies evolve.
Clarification: This article has been updated to better represent NU’s guidance on when to contact the Office of International Students.
Email: a.sextou@dailynorthwestern.edu
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