Trump's Immigration Order Keeping 2 CUNY Students Out Of Country, School Says

BROOKLYN, NY — Two CUNY students have been unable to return to classes this semester because of President Donald Trump's executive order on immigration, a school spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Spokeswoman Ruth Landa told Patch that, "our current and best information is that two CUNY students, including the Graduate Center student previously reported, have been unable to return because of the executive order."

The graduate student referred to is Saira Rafiee, a political science PhD candidate from Iran who lives in Lefferts Gardens and who said she wasn't able to return to the United States because of Trump's action. On Monday, CUNY students, faculty members, and Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams held a rally in support of Rafiee and against Trump's executive order.

The total number of CUNY students impacted by the immigration order remains unclear. In a Jan. 31 statement, CUNY Chancellor James Milliken said it, "could affect approximately 120 students at The City University of New York, as well as some faculty and staff." That number was repeated yesterday by Adams and CUNY student leader Hercules Reid.

Ruth, the CUNY spokeswoman, did not immediately provide more information on the second student who has been unable to return to campus, or on the number of faculty members the order may apply to.

Pictured at top: a CUNY rally on Monday for Saira Rafiee.