There are now a number of recent executive orders, signed by President Trump, which affect immigration enforcement. There are two key items to consider: international travel plans and following all U.S. laws.
If you are planning to travel outside the U.S., please contact International Student Affairs for a meeting before booking your ticket. This request applies to all non-citizen international students; though, others are always welcome to confer with us about travel or other questions.
Entry to the U.S. by individuals without a "bona fide relationship with a person or entity in the United States" from Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen has been suspended for at least 90 days beginning March 16, 2017.
On June 26, 2017 the U.S. Supreme Court partially granted a stay (stop) on injunctions which had stopped the 90-day travel ban issued by U.S. District Courts in Maryland and Hawaii. Importantly, the Supreme Court stated that students (from any country) who have been admitted to a U.S. school (e.g. F-1, M-1, or J-1 student) would be exempt from the ban.
It is very important to abide by all criminal and civil laws because criminal activity can be grounds for deportation or cause denial of future visas or immigration benefits. Examples of illegal activity include:
It is recommended that all students carry copies of documentation demonstrating their legal status. For F-1/J-1 students these documents include: passport, visa, I-20, and most recent I-94.
It is also recommended that all students consider applying for a State ID or driver’s license from the Cedar Rapids DMV. This allows individuals to have photo identification useful for travel within the U.S. and for other general identification purposes so the passport or other valuable documents do not need to be used. Please visit the DMV website for more information, and check out these resources for international students:
Resources
A list of executive orders can be found here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions
The executive orders impacting immigration at this time are: