As the ISSA team manages many questions from the community regarding immigration related matters, we will post the most frequent questions for review here.
Should I travel outside of the U.S.?
It’s important to remember that any international travel carries some inherent risk and it is up to the Custom and Border Patrol (CBP) officer at the U.S. port of entry to determine an individual’s admissibility. ISSA can never guarantee that a traveler will be able to enter the U.S. once they have departed, regardless of the validity of their visa stamp or status of their immigration documents.
Individuals must assess their own tolerance for navigating that risk and monitor the current landscape as it relates to their country of citizenship, travel plans, flexibility with Notre Dame responsibilities and opportunities, and priorities related to personal and professional obligations.
- Other things to consider may include enhanced social media vetting and scrutiny, or social media presence that may concern US authorities; validity of visa; any gaps in immigration history; whether there are any criminal violations or encounters with law enforcement; or inconsistency in information submitted to DOS or CIS.
When traveling, individuals should be prepared for sudden changes in the landscape or extended delays when entering the U.S.
ISSA provides information here about how to be best prepared when entering the U.S. but the decision to authorize entry is ultimately CBP’s.
What type of advice should we be giving students about going to international conferences or traveling home?
In general, faculty and staff should not be advising students regarding their travel plans, though we do recommend they remain mindful of how they might support a student if the student is unable to return to the U.S. on their preferred timeline. This planning may be related to enrollment and research considerations.
Faculty and staff should be aware of limitations on students enrolling, conducting research, or receiving stipends from abroad.
What do we do if ICE comes to campus? We know we're supposed to call NDPD, but what are faculty or others supposed to do after that?
General Counsel provided guidance in a recent issue of ND Works, which also pointed to helpful resources on their website. Community members can also take responsibility for understanding their rights. Resources include:
Know Your Rights at your Home: https://www.aila.org/library/client-flyer-know-your-rights
Know Your Rights in Public: https://www.aila.org/library/know-your-rights-if-ice-stops-you-in-public-1
Where can students or concerned parties report incidents?
Depending on the on-campus incident, they may choose where to report according to this list: https://president.nd.edu/reporting-concerns/.
The University cannot advise on off-campus activities or incidents.
How will we know if someone's legal standing has been revoked? How will students be contacted? Will professors be notified?
If an enrolled student’s SEVIS status is terminated, ISSA will notify the student and copy the student’s academic advisor, their DGS or DUS or program director, and the associate dean on the notification. The Dean and other relevant on-campus offices will be notified separately.
What happens if someone is denied entry - how will the University support them?
It’s important to understand that CBP has full authority over decisions of entry to the U.S. There is no mechanism by which the University can interfere in that decision.
ISSA does recommend that students and scholars have:
- a communication plan for arrival (e.g. text someone when they land, again when they leave CBP inspection or secondary inspection)
- a phone number to call if they are detained at the port of entry; though a personal number is better, students and scholars can contact NDPD's non-emergency number of 574-631-5555 and they will notify ISSA.
Other details regarding travel can be found here.
If student records are terminated, what are their options for completing their degree? Can they continue to be paid their stipend?
As each student’s circumstances will vary, these conversations and action plans will be specific to the student and their program.
If the student’s compensation is based on an I-9 verification, they can no longer conduct research, teach, or be paid if the underlying immigration status/employment authorization is terminated.
Will the University help a student or scholar find an attorney?
As counsel needs will vary, we recommend that the student or scholar use the AILALawyer.com list to find available attorneys who can support their specific case.
How do we ensure we have the most up to date information about recommendations from Notre Dame's administration?
Executive leaders will continue to distribute messages with updates about the University’s actions.
ISSA will continue to provide guidance through their newsletters and their Immigration Updates website. If students, scholars, or departments have specific questions about their status, work authorization, or travel, they can access ISSA through various advising resources.