GEO Statement Against Travel Bans

GEO Local 6300 condemns Trump's new travel ban and recognizes it for what it is: a war on international scholars and immigrants, particularly those from the global south who have been continuously brutalized by the US war machine. Just as we affirmed in 2018, GEO is a sanctuary and social justice union that stands firmly in defense of our international workforce. As our Immigration Working Group and Solidarity Committee continue to work on strategies to demand that our university administration take meaningful action in support of our non-citizen, international, and undocumented student body, we wanted to share detailed information on what this ban entails and actions you can take today to protect yourself.

On June 4th, 2024, President Trump announced a full travel ban on nationals of Afghanistan, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen, and a partial travel ban on people from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.

This ban technically applies only to individuals who are outside the U.S. on June 9 and do not already have a valid visa. However, please consider the guidance in this statement in full.

Students who are nationals of the fully banned countries will not be permitted to re-enter the country should they exit. Although the ban does not technically apply to green card holders, it is likely that green card holders from fully banned countries will face additional scrutiny at ports of entry. Students who are nationals of partially banned countries may not be able to renew their visas, and are likely to face additional scrutiny at ports of entry as well. Student visa holders are permitted to leave the United States for approved absences of up to five months without needing to request a new visa. It is imperative that students seek approval for any international absence from campus, including for academic purposes.

We understand some travel is unavoidable and students may have emergency reasons they need to travel to their home country. Therefore, we would like to remind our members of our bargaining contract’s immigration leave policy.

“If, in immigration-related matters, a TA/GA is unable to report to work for an extended period, the University will make a good faith effort to (1) place the assistant in the same or another appointment and (2) make the position available while the assistant's visa/work permit is being processed.”

Furthermore, we understand that some students from partially banned countries may need to return home for visa renewal purposes while this travel ban is in place. Therefore we would like to remind our members of another right to maintain employment status from our bargaining contract which states,

“The University shall make a good faith effort to make accommodations for international students experiencing difficulties acquiring the documentation necessary for employment. This includes the use of temporary control numbers or other means to process the employment information of international employees, and may include an offer of deferred employment.”

We also recommend our members and their loved ones with citizenship from the potentially affected countries take the following steps:

1. Consult an Immigration Attorney – if you are a citizen of a country that is either fully or partially banned and you are either currently abroad or foresee a need to leave the country, we encourage you to seek legal counsel to review your immigration status and discuss your rights. The GEO is available to connect you with free or low-cost legal consultation, including a free 24/7 hotline for GEO members (contact geo@uigeo.org to receive phone number). Dual nationals whose visa is not attached to a banned country but nonetheless hold nationality from any fully or partially banned country should likewise seek preemptive legal consultation should they plan to leave the country.
2. Keep all documents in order, with copies. Give a loved one the copies of your documents. These documents should include not only all visa and work permit related paperwork, but additional documents proving US ties, such as proof of university enrollment, offer letters, funding statements, and leases. If you are from an affected country but legally you are allowed to seek re-entry, you should be prepared to present these additional documents should you face heightened scrutiny.
3. Speak to your department about contingency plans should you be unable to re-enter the country at any point. The GEO is available to support these conversations.