On a recent sunny, blue-skied afternoon at UNLV, international students, scholars, deans, faculty, and staff gathered to offer a single, powerful affirmation to each other: You Belong Here.

They came to experience community, to band together in a time of fear and uncertainty. They came to share the comfort of a good meal. And, they came for detailed information on visa statuses, resources, and laws affecting international students and scholars. 

“Now is a tough moment. We're here for you,” said Kate Hausbeck Korgan, officer in charge of the Office of Executive Vice President and Provost.

“We want you to know that you belong here, that wherever you came from in the world, you are now Rebels. And Rebels are family … so we'll continue to gather and build community. Because in this moment there's nothing better to do than connect with others, share your stories, talk about your worries, and envision a better future together.”

Heartbreaking Conversations and a Rapid Response

The first You Belong Here gathering followed news in April that seven UNLV students had their legal immigration statuses terminated. They were among the more than a thousand international students and recent graduates across the country whose right to study and live in the U.S. was suddenly rescinded by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Elsewhere, some students from other universities were detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and transported to distant detention centers. 

The international student status terminations made the news and sent a ripple of worry and dismay throughout higher education, including UNLV. University leadership and staff moved quickly to support the affected students.

“Our first priority was student safety,” said Lindsey Gruber, UNLV Global executive director and international officer. 

The second priority, she said, was to preserve students’ options for future immigration petitions, if they wanted to study or live in the U.S., by demonstrating compliance with the law.

Staff immediately reached out to the affected students with ongoing personal attention and care.

“Those meetings with the seven students were absolutely heartbreaking,” Gruber said. “We had to tell them: 'You are no longer in legal status, your status has been terminated, and we don’t know why. But we want you to know that this has nothing to do with your standing at UNLV. You are a valued member of this university family.'

“We stayed in constant communication with them, so they wouldn't forget that we're here to support them.” 

UNLV offered the impacted students the option to complete their spring semester from afar and to return if and when they are able.

Unexpected Costs, Unusual Needs

As students learned they had to leave the country, immediate needs emerged, including money to cover flights, breaking apartment leases, and shipping belongings home. Academic considerations arose as well: how exactly could students finish the semester's academic requirements from afar?

Just weeks after terminating student statuses, the government restored them in the midst of litigation challenging federal actions taken. DHS has since announced plans to develop a formal policy. While the reversal was broadly viewed as a positive step, it created new challenges: What about student visas? (These are separate from the status granted to study.) Would those who had already left the country want to return? And if they returned, could their statuses be terminated again?

Many questions and concerns remain. 

In addition to the UNLV students directly affected, the international student  community has been thrust into turmoil. Students and scholars felt their worlds tilt with new worries: including whether to travel and who might be next.

Laura Chaney, director of International Student and Scholar Compliance, has been conducting daily checks of the federal Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to monitor terminations. Days that passed without any new terminations were celebrated in group chats with prayer hands and happy emojis, Chaney said. 

UNLV Global also provided guidance to students to be aware of news reports that traveling outside the U.S. this summer may pose risks when re-entering the country; travelers had been denied entry or experienced increased vetting. New financial needs also were identified, as students who had not planned to stay in Las Vegas this summer now need jobs and housing. 

Students also expressed a need to access the community for comfort, solidarity, and basic information and resource sharing. 

Building Belonging

UNLV Global’s You Belong Here effort addresses the critical needs of the international student and scholar community in this time of uncertainty.

A kickoff event on April 22 welcomed students to hear from university leadership and UNLV Global staff, while offering a space to share their questions and concerns. Several deans – including some who came to the U.S. as international students themselves – shared touching personal stories and encouraged students to persevere. 

David Cárdenas, dean of the William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, spoke of coming to the U.S. from Ecuador as a child and how his education shaped who he is today. Rama Venkat, dean of the Howard R. Hughes College of Engineering, remembered the stress of filling out his paperwork as an international student and noted the challenges that he sees today’s students facing.

James Mah, dean of the School of Dental Medicine, recalled coming to the U.S. 30 years ago as an international student and staying for the incredible opportunities. “Now is the time for you to challenge yourself to double down,” he told the students. “Now is the time to show the world that the international student community is as strong and vibrant as ever. We're a very capable group that goes on to do great things.”

Deans Nancy Uscher (Fine Arts), Eric Chronister (Sciences), Gerry Sanders (Business), and Jennifer Keene (Liberal Arts) as well as Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Rogers also spoke.

A robust Q&A followed, with topics ranging from visa and status intricacies to accessing legal assistance through the UNLV Immigration Clinic at the William S. Boyd School of Law.

Safety was top of mind, with Chaney sharing that UNLV Global has been working with university police to offer student workshops and raise awareness of U.S. laws. She reminded students and scholars to be mindful of laws, "even for minor offenses, like jaywalking, parking illegally, or speeding.”

Throughout the discussion, students were engaged and serious. Afterwards, they gathered to process what they heard.

“It was helpful, it was also reassuring to be here today,” one said. 

“It felt good to come together, to be with friends with all the things going on,” another added. “It's a lot of very detailed information. This was really helpful, and we can inform our international friends who couldn’t be here today.”

For others, the anxiety is almost overwhelming. “It was nice, it was good, but I'm still sad with anxiety,” one explained. “Because they say don't go back to your home country now…how can I survive here without money?”

Strength Through Connection

To help alleviate the uncertainty, UNLV Global staff will continue to bring international students together for potluck dinners, celebrations, meditation classes, art making, and more. Staff also aim to offer excursions for students remaining in Las Vegas over the summer. 

“We love you,” said Anne White, senior director of International Student and Scholar Success Programs. “If you feel stressed out, come be with us. Know that we are supporting you in every way possible.”

Korgan praised the international students’ courage. “Thank you for your persistence and your bravery, and for everything you've done to be here.

“That right there sets you apart from most of the world. You picked yourself up and went somewhere new, and you're learning so much – maybe a new language, certainly a new culture, and new traditions — and we couldn't be happier that you're here doing that with us in Las Vegas.”