The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) visa limitations are yet another capricious act that undermines the work of students from around the world who study at Illinois and across the US.  We add our voice to the immediate and justified condemnation of this measure amid mounting legal challenges.

It is shameful that the over 1 million international students in the United States face this added uncertainty in a time that already calls for extraordinary steps from all of us in the care of our communities, our families and ourselves.  We respect the contributions by students from near and far as they invest their time and dedication to their studies and support our university’s teaching and research mission. 

We will do everything in our power to ensure that your educational journey can continue without interruption, even as we meet the needs that the pandemic puts before us.  We hope that you feel supported by your departments, your programs, and your faculty.  We also invite you to join a panel Thursday, July 16 at 2pm organized by units in the IGI and the School of Literatures, Cultures and Linguistics, “Emergency Roundtable: Supporting International Students Affected by ICE’s Order.”