Universities and tech firms urge those who might be affected by travel ban not to leave the U.S.

Colleges and employers react to travel ban

Local universities and technology companies Monday urged students and employees from seven Muslim-majority nations not to leave the United States after President Trump issued an executive order that temporarily would bar them from re-entering the country.

“Stay put until we’re sure you’re going to be able to get back in,” said Anthony DeNapoli, associate dean for international affairs at Nova Southeastern University in Davie. He said that is the message the school is conveying to Muslim students who could be affected by the 90-day ban on entry into the U.S. for travelers from Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

“We’re going to work with them individually, we’re going to continue to welcome them to our campus, and we’re not going to stop recruitment in Muslim countries,” DeNapoli said. He noted that about 31 percent of NSU’s international students are from Muslim countries.

NSU president George Hanbury II sent a letter to students, faculty and staff saying the university advises those from the affected countries to “refrain from traveling outside of the United States.” He said diversity is one of NSU’s “core values.”

Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton issued a “travel advisory” to students and faculty, urging non-U.S. citizens from the named countries remain in the U.S. and cancel any travel abroad. FAU also urged international students to review their travel documents and “ensure they are maintaining their legal status in the U.S.”

Protests against the ban, which lasts through April 27, are being held throughout the country, including at South Florida airports. Several of the region’s technology companies, which employ skilled workers from many of the affected countries, object to the prohibition.

Citrix Systems, a worldwide software company based in Fort Lauderdale, sent an email to employees saying that “nationals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen will not be asked to travel outside the U.S. or to the U.S. on Citrix business during the 90-day ban, and those employees should consider avoiding such travel altogether.”

CEO Kirill Tartinov, himself an emigre from Russia, told employees in an emailed blog post that he hopes the order will be reversed.

“As an immigrant myself, I have experienced firsthand the exceptional opportunity that the United States can offer to people from all parts of the world, Tartinov said. “And like me, many of our employees and their families came to the U. S. for that opportunity. Talented people of all nationalities, religions and ethnicities should be able to come to this country for the chance to fully realize their potential .... It is my firm hope that the current administration will revise the executive order and reverse the hardship it is causing to employees, their families, our customers and potentially our business.”

Among those affected by the order were many permanent U.S. residents who hold green cards.

“We are just telling people to stay wherever you are until we clarify the situation,” said Doured Daghistani, a pediatric oncologist and board member of the Syrian American Council of South Florida.

University leaders issued letters and emails in support of their foreign students.