UTD added an informational banner to its website today providing details on how yesterday’s presidential proclamation, “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” will impact Comets with H-1B work visas.
The proclamation, set to take effect Sep. 21 at 12:01 a.m. EST, restricts the movement of anyone with the H-1B visa unless they pay a $100,000 fee or have an exemption because their speciality “is in the national interest and does not pose a threat to the security or welfare of the [U.S.].”
The university stated in its online information update that all UTD employees on H-1B visas should return to the U.S. immediately before the proclamation takes effect, and that failure to do so could result in significant challenges to re-entry. As of publication, UTD said the university is still “reviewing the proclamation.”
“Current employees with an H-1B visa should not travel internationally until further notice,” UTD said in the statement. The dependents of H-1B visa holders — such as their children — should also avoid travelling if possible, according to the statement.
Data collected from the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services indicated that in fiscal year 2025, UTD had 78 employees on H-1B visas, including but not limited to athletic trainers, researchers, professors, equal opportunity specialists and software developers. Since 2020, UTD has had a 100% approval rate for its H-1B applications, and at 69 certifications, 2025 is UTD’s highest H-1B visa approval year.
“We stand ready to assist those impacted, and additional guidance will be issued as soon as it is available,” UTD said in the statement.
This is a breaking news story. The Retrograde will provide additional coverage as new information emerges.
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