Important Notice: Executive Orders on US Immigration Policy

The Immigration Working Group (IWG) is a college-wide group of faculty and staff from across all schools working to monitor developments concerning immigration regulations and their effects on members of the Dartmouth community, including those enrolled in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, and for those facing restrictions on travel by non-U.S. persons. More information and the current membership of the working group is available on the Provost's office website. This update provides information and resources that have been added or revised since the Working Group’s February 27 communication.

Resources

The Dartmouth Office of Visa and Immigration Services (OVIS) updates its website on a regular basis. The site contains links to relevant documents and FAQ’s about Executive Orders on immigration and travel.

Several Dartmouth offices offer resources for DACA and undocumented students, including:

Student Affairs also hosts a website providing resources for students in need of services, including counseling, pastoral care, and academic support.

For emergency situations involving travel, Safety & Security can always be reached at +1-603-646-4000 for an immediate point of contact with Dartmouth personnel.

Global Dartmouth provides information for international travelers to and from Dartmouth, a Travel Registry, and a portal for visa and passport services.

The Office of the President contains links to statements made by President Hanlon and Provost Dever, as well as messages and updates from the Immigration Working Group.

Local citizens have formed the Upper Valley Coalition for Immigrants and Refugees. The group has a Facebook page and can be contacted at uvcoalition@gmail.com.

 Events for the Dartmouth community (since February, 2017)

May 10: Susan Ellison, Director of OVIS, and attorneys from the Dartmouth Lawyers Association presented a webinar on immigration strategies for students and recent graduates, options for visas, internships and issues specific to STEM students.

April 6: Susan Ellison, Director of OVIS, spoke to the United Campus Ministry (UCM) about the Executive Orders and immigration policy changes.

March 31: OVIS hosted Skype sessions with Dan Berger, Dartmouth’s outside immigration counsel for DACA/undocumented students and individuals affected by the Executive Orders issued by President Donald Trump.

February 20 and ongoing: The Office of the General Counsel and OVIS held several town hall meetings to provide information and answer questions.

February 27: The Dean of the College distributed information to all College departments containing counseling and other support resources for students

Institutional Advocacy

March 31 to April 20: March 31 – April 20: Dartmouth joined with thirty other colleges and universities in filing two amicus curiae briefs in support of challenges to the second Executive Order on immigration issued by President Trump on March 6. On March 31, the schools filed their amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit in support of the challenge filed in Maryland by the International Refugee Assistance Project and a number of other organizations and individuals. On April 20, the same set of schools filed an amicus brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit supporting the State of Hawaii’s suit in that state. Both briefs focus on the importance of international students, faculty and scholars to academic institutions and the nation.

March 8: President Philip Hanlon and Provost Carolyn Dever sent a message to the Dartmouth community expressing the “College’s continued concern about the restrictions imposted by President Trump’s second executive order banning travel to the United States from six predominantly Muslim nations.”

February 13: Dartmouth joined 16 other academic institutions in an amicus curiae brief in the case of Darweesh et al. v. Trump et al., challenging the January Executive Order. The brief states, in part, that universities “rely on the ability to welcome international students, faculty, and scholars into their communities” because they “seek to educate future leaders from nearly every continent, attract the world’s best scholars, faculty, and students, and work across international borders.”