At least a half-dozen people at the University of Alaska Fairbanks could be affected by President Donald Trump's immigration order barring entry for citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries into the United States.
UAF spokeswoman Marmian Grimes said six students and employees at the university were identified as being from the countries listed under the executive order. There could be others, she said, noting that the university does not track the countries of origin for those who have permanent residency in the U.S.
One woman, a postdoctoral researcher, is currently in Iran with plans to return at the end of the week. Grimes said the university's office of international programs and initiatives has supplied the researcher with a letter of support to help facilitate her re-entry into the U.S.
Grimes declined to identify the researcher.
[Hundreds gather in Anchorage to protest Trump's immigration ban]
On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order indefinitely barring Syrian refugees from entering the U.S., suspending other refugees from entering for 120 days and blocking citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering, refugee or otherwise.
Universities across the country have been working to handle the implications of the order, the ramifications of which were still unclear Monday.
University of Alaska President Jim Johnsen emailed a statement to students Monday that the university system was working to understand the full impact of the order on students and employees.
He added that the university remains "committed to the open exchange of students, scholars, and ideas from all over the world."
Johnsen wrote that the university is working with experts to provide guidance or assistance to those affected by the ban. He encouraged those with concerns to contact the university directly.
Bruce Schultz, University of Alaska Anchorage vice chancellor for Student Affairs, said in an emailed statement that there were no UAA-sponsored students, scholars or employees with a J-1 or F-1 student visa from the seven countries named in the executive order.
He added that no future students are scheduled to attend UAA from those countries.
University of Alaska Southeast spokeswoman Keni Campbell said there had been no immediate reports of students and employees impacted by the ban.
Alaska Pacific University issued a press release about the ban Monday evening, which cited the school's nondiscrimination policy.
"(APU) is open to students from across the world and welcomes diversity of people and ideas," wrote Interim President Robert Onders. The school "is committed to supporting any members of the Community that are currently, or will be, impacted by the new federal immigration restrictions."