USC administration urges hundreds of international students not to leave the country

In response to President Trump’s most recent executive order (Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States), the USC administration sent out a campus-wide email urging hundreds of students, faculty, and alumni from Muslim-majority nations to postpone international travel.

Trump’s order bans citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen from entering the U.S. for the next 90 days. On behalf of President Nikias and the entire administration, Provost Michael Quick wrote, “Our foremost concern is with the members of our community from those countries who are directly affected by this order.”

The Office of International Services suggests that these members stay in the states, for it may be “difficult, or even impossible to return.” To members of the USC community who are in those seven countries and want to return to the U.S., Quick said to wait to travel until Trump’s restrictions are lifted.

The administration is directing questions about immigration to the Office of International Services and the Gould School of Law’s Immigration Clinic, and pointing affected members of the community to the Office of Religious Life, Student Counseling Services, and the Center for Work and Family Life for general support.

USC is also working with other universities through the Association of American Universities to, “monitor this fluid situation and to better understand steps we might take to best serve our international community.” The administration team promises updates on the matter as they learn more.

Quick wrote, “We want to assure you that we are fully committed to supporting all members of our Trojan Family – regardless of their national origin or religious affiliation…We will do everything we can to ensure all of our academic community can continue to study, research, and teach at USC.”

Read Quick’s message to the USC community below: