Ways to Support International Colleagues and Students

Many describe the United States as "a nation of immigrants," a testament to the invaluable contributions of diverse communities to its society and culture. Immigrants have also played a vital economic role, generating approximately$1.6 trillion in economic activity and contributing over $579 billion in taxes at the local, state, and federal levels.1  While many immigrants arrive in the U.S. with a vision of the American Dream, the country has also actively sought out immigrants to address domestic challenges—periodically raising immigration caps or amending policies to encourage recruitment, for example extending OPT extension for STEM students.  At present, many of our international colleagues are navigating deep uncertainty—facing both a sense of invisibility in the value of their contributions and the unsettling possibility of losing the stability they have worked toward for years. Shifting policies, rising visa complexities, and broader socio-political tensions have created an environment of heightened vulnerability.2  In this edition of Ally Tips, we explore meaningful ways to support and advocate for our international colleagues, students, and local immigrant communities during these unprecedented times. 

Acknowledgement: This Ally Tips was written in collaboration with Michael Morrone,  executive director of IU FACET and a former immigration lawyer.    

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Like many countries, the United States has struggled to maintain a clear and consistent approach to immigration. On the one hand, one can argue that the U.S.has encouraged immigration of scholars and workers with STEM skills who are seen as contributing to innovationand productivity. Research looking at the effect of immigration on the U.S. between 2021-2023 shows that immigration contributed to lowering inflation and helped the economy avoid a recession.3 One the other hand, strict and frequently changing laws and regulations governing legal entry and citizenship, combined with the increasing grounds for removal of immigrants in both historical and contemporary contexts in the U.S., present significant challenges for achieving and maintaining status. This environment easily and often breeds an air of fear and uncertainty that is palpable. To those of us with privileged immigration status, i.e., citizens, detainment of students at other institutions will not have the same level of impact as it will on those with less privileged immigration status. For visa holders and even permanent residents, there is constant concern and uncertainty.  

 

How can we be allies for our immigrant students, colleagues, and community members?

Learn about immigration issues and history 

  • Be aware of biased or inaccurate information and use information from trusted sources. Even information that sounds like it comes from an unbiased source may not be. For example, the Federation for American Immigration Reform is an organization with a longstanding goal of reducing immigration to the U.S., yet because their acronym is FAIR, manyview their messagesasunbiased.The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) also has an innocuous-sounding name, but it is a spin-off of FAIR and promotes reducing immigration. These groups were small in the 1980s and 1990s but have become large and mainstream.4  For example, some news channels regularly cite the CIS as an unbiasedsource. 

  • Know where to look for resources about immigration: Immigration law and regulation is complex—never assume you can guess or advise someone about immigration status, or even what the status means. Despite this, we encourage you to both seek to learn more about immigration and share resources you uncover. 
  • As you learn more, be willing to listen to the fears, needs, and concerns of international students and colleagues and to share those stories with others. 

Be supportive through attitudes and behaviors 

  • Adopt a belonging attitude: We know having a sense of belonging is vital to the success of our students and colleagues.5  A first step to allyship in situations that involve immigration is to realize that the personal experience of living away from one's home country varies widely from person to person and culture to culture. These varied experiences also raise issues of intersectionality. Allies can be curious, without being overbearing, because one of the great assets of being at Indiana University is the wide variety of experiences of members of our community. Actively listening to others, regardless of their backgrounds, sends a message of respect. Maintaining openness to engage with others as we learn more sends a welcoming message that fosters belonging. Listening and maintaining openness can and should happen everywhere on our campus. 
  • Be available. As a U.S. citizen, you can share your contact information with international students and colleagues. They often do not have families in the U.S., and students may not have adults with resources to navigate legal situations. Let them know you will answer their calls any time for a legal emergency to help them navigate to find the right people or resources.  
  • As with much of allyship, we have to monitor our words and behaviors as they convey our attitudes. Choose respectful language—terms like 'illegal' or 'alien' can be dehumanizing and create division. You can use “undocumented” rather than “illegal” and “non-citizen” or “immigrant” rather than “foreign” or “alien.”6 At the very least, honor Indiana University's various codes of ethics, rights, and responsibilities which expect respect for others regardless of their background.  
  • Go a step further and volunteer for organizations that support immigrants. Or faculty members can design an experiential learning component that engages with an organization that supports immigrants or international students by collaborating with local organizations  

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