A message from President Hatch on support for international students

The following message was sent this afternoon from President Nathan Hatch.

Dear Wake Forest community, 

As I shared earlier this week, Wake Forest University believes that the recent guidelines suggested by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), an office of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), are dangerous and threatening to international students and higher education. 

In response to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) guidelines released this week, Wake Forest has joined an amicus brief, prepared by the Presidents’ Alliance on Immigration and Higher Education, backing a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology against federal restrictions that threaten the education and wellbeing of international students.  

Yesterday, Wake Forest joined more than 150 higher education institutions united in the fight to combat the new ICE restrictions. The amicus brief, written by the President’s Alliance, which is not involved in the case but has a strong interest in the subject matter, supports the litigation filed by Harvard and MIT to prohibit the enforcement of the government’s order. 

In addition to supporting the brief, Wake Forest continues to use multiple methods to advocate against these guidelines and protect students, including working with elected representatives in Washington, D.C., and with peers and professional associations. The provost, deans and faculty are collaborating to make options available for in-person learning opportunities for international students, and the Office of International Student and Scholar Services is advocating for and offering support to students affected by these directives.   

To our international students, we are grateful that you have chosen to be part of the Wake Forest community. Your presence has enriched our campus, and we will continue to fight for your opportunity to pursue your education with us. We support you and hope you know that at Wake Forest you will always have a home.