By Theresa Schliep and Victor Ordonez
At the same university President Donald Trump spent two years, students and administration are left wondering what comes next after the president’s executive order.
Amir Fadavi Ardekani, LAW ’16, is one of those students. Ardekani graduated from Fordham Law in the fall, and plans to walk in graduation in the spring.
Ardekani is from Tehran, Iran, one of the seven majority-Muslim countries from where Trump has barred the entrance of citizens. This executive action has yielded concerns for Ardekani, who already found his Iranian identity cumbersome while living away from home.
“It already wasn’t easy to be Iranian in the U.S.,” said Ardekani. “This will make it even harder.”
Rev. Joseph M. McShane, S.J., president of the university, released an email to the student body this Sunday showing support to refugees and immigrants who may be affected by Trump’s executive order.
The email included a link with guidance for the at least seven students that may be affected by this action. It does note, though, that the university does “struggle to understand the shifting legal landscape.”
Ardekani expressed similar confusion. The most immediate ambiguity is his graduation and his mother’s attendance. The current executive order is intended to be enforced for 90 days, but this has created enough confusion for Ardekani to question his mother’s attendance.
“I’m not sure 100 percent if she can come,” said Ardekani.
The executive order prohibits the entrance of citizens from seven Middle Eastern, majority-Muslim countries for the next 90 days: Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. It also suspends the admissions of refugees for the next 120 days, but gives preferential treatment to Christians under persecution in the Middle East.
Ardekani was born Muslim, he said, but is no longer practicing. He is transitioning his student visa to an Optional Practical Training (OPT) visa, in which students are permitted by the government to pursue practical training to complement their fields of study, according to International Student Insurance.
Students, professors, visitors, refugees and green-card holders were stopped at United States airports Saturday, according to The New York Times.
Despite the circumstances, Ardekani said that he remains optimistic due to the nation’s response to the executive action.
“I’m going to be hopeful because I’ve seen how people have reacted,” said Ardekani. “It is a really nice thing to see how people have been supportive.”
Danna Khawam, FCRH ’17, faces similar uncertainty regarding the executive order. Khawam’s parents were born in Syria and she lives with her mother, who works for the United Nations, in the United States.
She said that her mother works for the United Nations and is on a G-4 visa, so is not technically a citizen of neither Syria nor the United States. When recent travel plans to the Bahamas came up, Khawam said she feared for her mother traveling.
“I don’t feel comfortable with her leaving the country,” said Khawam.
Khawam said she is “super disturbed” by this executive action, as she had family who became refugees due to the Syrian Civil War. They consequently fled to Canada.
Omar Afridi, FCRH ’17, president of Muslim Students Association, said McShane’s statement provides comfort, especially to those students who he knows are affected by Trump’s executive order.
“I read the email by Father McShane and found it comforting,” said Afridi. “Although I’m not personally in contact with anyone who is in direct conflict with the order President Trump passed, I know there are members in our community who are, and are understandably frightened for their families. I admire Father McShane for standing up for our community members, and I know many of us took comfort in his kind and humble words.”
In his email, McShane also linked an information page for Resources for Undocumented Students (DACA), which includes local immigration charity services.
Ardekani studied corporate and tax law at Fordham. Before the executive action, he said he planned on living and working in the United States for a short time to gain experience. Now, he is unsure.
“Before this I was sure I was going to go back after having some experience working here in law,” said Ardekani. “In the end, if such a thing is in place, if you leave this country, you may not be able to come back. Now I really don’t know.”
Joan Cavanagh, director of Interfaith Ministry, said FordhamCampus Ministry is taking steps to provide services to those who may be affected.
“Campus Ministry is currently speaking to several Muslim leaders in the hope of bringing more services to our Muslim students, whom we cherish,” said Cavanagh.
Students at Lincoln Center on Monday protested the executive action.
Matthew Apadula, FCLC ’18, said there is an urgent need to support peers affected by the executive action.
“I think we need to show some solidarity for our fellow students and become more involved with these organizations that work to help those affected by this executive order,” said Apadula.
