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Statement on detained student (Jan. 27, 2020)

Officials at Michigan State University were made aware Sunday evening of a new Iranian graduate student being detained at the Detroit airport. The student was set to start classes with MSU this month. Through the Office of International Students and Scholars, the university has worked the past 24 hours with members of our Michigan congressional delegation, other federal support agencies and the student’s lawyer to help through this difficult situation.

We want international students to know we value and welcome them to our campus, and we are committed to global engagement, educating international students and collaborating with partners across the world in higher education efforts. MSU’s international students make tremendous contributions to fueling discoveries and scholarship. Global leadership can only be maintained if talented people from across the globe are encouraged to come here to study and work.

-Emily Gerkin Guerrant, MSU Spokesperson