The proposed travel ban targets countries including Afghanistan, Iran and Cuba. If approved, it would limit travel from these countries, potentially affecting families of refugees and other immigrants in Reno.
The ban will hurt refugees, especially Afghan families who were already hoping to bring relatives to the U.S., said Carina Black, executive director of the Northern Nevada International Center.
“For the last three years, we have been working with the US government to bring those family members here. And now with this travel ban, this is going to affect a good amount of individuals who were not able to bring their wives and children to the United States,” Black said.
The center has resettled 197 Afghan families in northern Nevada since 2021, Black said. Currently, the refugee program is completely shut down, she said.
Meanwhile, at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), officials are closely monitoring the situation and its impact on international students.
“Currently, there have been no reports of issues affecting current or incoming international students and scholars. However, the University advises that visa renewal approval and reentry are not guaranteed for students traveling abroad,” UNR said in a statement to KUNR.
The statement also recommends that international students and scholars consult with immigration attorneys if needed, as the situation develops.
For now, local refugee advocacy groups and universities are left to wait and see what the final decision will be. But the uncertainty is already creating anxiety for families and students.
As a note of disclosure, the Nevada System of Higher Education Board of Regents owns the license to this station, and the Northern Nevada International Center is a business sponsor of the station.
