Jan. 30, 2017
The new White House administration has recently published several executive orders related to immigration issues, including one titled “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States.” This email is intended to address and clarify some issues and questions that may be of concern to you as lawful permanent residents. There is much we do not yet know, but we will keep you informed as we learn more.
Beginning January 27, 2017, citizens (“nationals”) of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen will not be issued visas and will not be able to enter the U.S. for the next 90 days. This includes dual citizens of one of these countries and another non-U.S. country. The details of that process are currently unclear and, as with other issues, may change.
The Department of Homeland Security issued a fact sheet yesterday afternoon that provides, in part:
For the next 90 days, nearly all travelers, except U.S. citizens, traveling from Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Iran, Somalia, Libya, and Yemen will be temporarily suspended from entry to the United States. . . Importantly, however, Lawful Permanent Residents of the United States traveling on a valid I-551 will be allowed to board U.S. bound aircraft and will be assessed for exceptions at arrival ports of entry, as appropriate. The entry of these individuals, subject to national security checks, is in the national interest. Therefore, we expect swift entry for these individuals.
Recommendations:
Despite this clarity from DHS, if you are a citizen of Iraq, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria or Yemen or hold dual citizenship with one of the countries and a non-U.S. country you should NOT travel outside of the U.S. during this 90-day period (through April 26, 2017).
Lawful Permanent Residents from the affected countries should not plan travel outside of the United States for more than 180 consecutive days. Absences of more than 180 days will require you to apply for readmission to the U.S., which could be significantly complicated by the executive orders.
When you seek to enter the United States after temporary travel abroad, you will need to present a valid, unexpired “green card” (Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card) along with your valid, unexpired passport. When arriving at a port of entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer will review your permanent resident card and passport and conduct a national security check determine if you can enter the United States. Please allow several hours upon arrival for the security check. Also, let family members or friends know your arrival plans so that they may seek assistance on your behalf if there are unusual delays at the port of entry. For more information, pertaining to entry into the United States, see U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s webpage: https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens
It is very important to remember that it is not yet clear how this and other executive orders will actually be implemented. The university will continue to monitor this situation and update the university community as we learn more. We expect to have more clarity on from DHS within the next 30 days. Please watch for these communications and read them carefully.
The university remains committed to ensuring the well-being, safety, and success of international faculty, staff, students and scholars at U-M. We will continue to advocate on the behalf of all international students, scholars, and employees for immigration and visa policies that facilitate your success in the United States. We will also support you by ensuring that you have information and resources to prepare for changes in immigration policies and procedures. During this challenging and uncertain time, please take care of yourself and continue to focus on the positive reasons you came to U-M.
We are glad that you are here.
Sincerely,
Martha E. Pollack
Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
E. Royster Harper
Vice President for Student Life
Laurita Thomas
Associate Vice President for Human Resources
University Human Resources
