New Mexico State University Chancellor Dr. Garrey Carruthers issued the following statement to the campus community on Sunday:
As you may have seen on the news, the President of the United States has issued an executive order that bars the citizens of seven countries (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen) from entering the United States for the next 90 days. Moreover, all refugees will be prohibited from entering the United States for the next 120 days, and refugees from Syria will be prohibited from entering the United States indefinitely.
At this time, we advise any NMSU student, faculty or staff member who are citizens of these countries not to leave the United States, even if you are a permanent resident of the United States, because it is unclear when you might be able to return. While the federal courts have issued a nationwide temporary injunction against deportation of visa-holders from these countries who have been detained at U.S. airports, that does not necessarily ensure that others traveling abroad will be allowed to return to the U.S., nor whether those who arrived in the U.S. after imposition of the ban will remain in detention.
Among our most important responsibilities at NMSU is to provide a safe and caring community where all students can focus on learning without fear of persecution and where all faculty and staff know that they are valued and supported. We are all Aggies, and the support we offer to members of the Aggie family is the same, no matter where a student or an employee was born, including students and employees who are in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program.
We will continue to monitor this situation and advocate at all levels for a solution that protects all of our students, faculty, and staff. We will also provide updates as needed going forward.
Please call the office of International Student and Scholars Services at (575) 646-2017 with any questions. We encourage you to first visit the following website https://isss.nmsu.edu/2017presidentialeo before calling.