Dear International Students, Scholars and Recent Alumni on OPT Status,

 We recognize that this continues to be a time of heightened anxiety and uncertainty for many of you and that this has only been further exacerbated by recent news of additional federal immigration actions affecting individuals at universities across the country. We’ve heard from fellow institutions about actions to revoke international student and scholar visas, terminate the active immigration status of international students and scholars in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) system and end other immigration-related benefits. We write today to provide you with information on how these actions are impacting the Brown community and to respond to the growing concern and the questions many of you have. However, we do so also recognizing that information is still evolving and changing.

 At this time, we are aware of one currently enrolled student and a small number of recent graduates in the U.S. for post-completion Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT extension opportunities who have had their visas revoked and SEVIS records terminated, all of which have occurred over the past week.

 In each of the cases, the University has received no official notification or communication from the relevant federal agencies. While we understand the interest many of you have expressed in regard to learning more about potential patterns and the rationale for these terminations, we regret that we have no official information to provide, and it would be a disservice to all of you to speculate. Out of respect for the privacy of these impacted individuals, it’s also important that we do not share any personal information.

 As President Paxson and Provost Doyle have noted before, it is our utmost priority to communicate directly and promptly with individuals affected by federal actions to offer relevant support and guidance. We will continue to prioritize direct engagement with impacted individuals should we see similar federal actions in the future.

 For all of you who may be concerned about potential impacts on your own status, here are some important updates about measures the Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS) is taking, reminders of proactive action steps you can take and resources available to support you.

 What You Should Know:

 ●     OISSS Advisors are routinely checking the SEVIS portal multiple times each day (including weekends) for any updates and will contact individuals whose SEVIS records are terminated as soon as possible. To help facilitate our outreach, please make sure that your contact information — including your mobile phone number and email address — is current. Students should update their contact information directly in Banner Self Service, while scholars are advised to email OISSS to provide their updates.

 What You Can Do:

 ●     Current Brown students can also check their SEVIS status through the OISSS Gateway Portal. Similarly, Brown alumni who are currently on OPT/OPT STEM are also authorized by DHS to use the SEVP Portal to verify their status and to update their records as needed.

 ●     Scholars do not have access to OISSS Gateway Portal or SEVP Portal. Please know that we are reviewing system records daily and will reach out to you as soon as possible in the event that your SEVIS record is terminated.

 Other Resources Available to You:

 ●     On April 15 and April 24, the Office of Global Engagement will host webinars with immigration attorneys Megan Parker-Johnson and Prasant Desai from the firm of Iandoli Desai & Cronin P.C. for students, staff and faculty (including postdoctoral scholars). Our focus will be discussing recent Department of Homeland Security enforcement actions against non-citizen students and professionals on various visa statuses, providing an overview of civil liberties in the immigration context, and addressing questions regarding these topics. More information about these events, including registration links, will be announced soon via Today@Brown.

 ●     On April 17, OISSS is hosting immigration attorney Elizabeth Goss, who will provide a virtual informational session geared toward students and scholars on non-immigrant employment, to discuss various types of working visas and applicable filing requirements. For more information and to RSVP, please complete this Google registration form.

 ●     To sign up for a virtual or in-person advising appointment with an OISSS student advisor, please click here. Scholars should email OISSS@brown.edu

 ●     For ongoing updates on guidance, resources and support concerning non-U.S. citizen Brown students, faculty and scholars as well as information about what community members should do if they receive a request for information from a government agency, please see this FAQ page.

 Please know that the safety and well-being of all Brown international community members remain a top priority for us in the Office of International Student and Scholar Services and the University more broadly. We appreciate your patience as we work diligently to support you and to collaborate with other campus partners to offer supplemental resources during a time of heightened concern and uncertainty.

 Sincerely,

Office of International Student and Scholar Services (OISSS)