Sahar

Intern @ Mayo | PhD student @ WVU | Computer Vision and Deep Learning

[Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari @RepYassAnsari]

I’ve heard from dozens of Iranian students and researchers who complied with every immigration requirement and whose lives have been thrown into limbo by the Trump Administration's deportation chaos.

I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to support my bill, the Iranian Temporary Immigration Relief Act.

[Curtis Morrison @curtismorrison]

Dorcas order enjoining USCIS hold came out 3 days ago. USCIS website still doesn't mention it.
https://t.co/kF7UpXph1k

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

The court has spoken.
Now we need to see whether USCIS follows through.

To my affected fellow
Please:
• Ask USCIS about your case (through Emma).
• Request a Congressional Inquiry.
• Update your university and employer about the Dorcas decision.

Report any real responses, RFEs, approvals, or adjudications in coming weeks

Those of us who followed the law and invested our skills in this country deserve transparent and lawful adjudication. Let’s monitor implementation closely and keep the pressure on.

#USCISpause

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

Stories like this deserve to be seen.

Highly skilled researchers, and innovators who entered the U.S. legally are now stuck in USCIS processing holds for +5 months

I hope leaders and advocates for science, higher education, and innovation will help amplify these stories and highlight the real-world consequences of these policies.

@NAFSA @AAUniversities @theNASEM @AAMCtoday @AAASmember @ScienceMagazine @Nature @CatoInstitute

#USCIS_Pause_Story
#ScientistsInLimbo
#TalentRetention
#USCISpause

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

Congresswoman,
Its not just about asylum

Legal immigrants from 39 countries!
including many Iranians
who entered the U.S. with valid visas, lived here for years, followed the law, and are now scientists, researchers at major institutions, physicians, and industry professionals.

ARE ON USCIS PAUSE since December 2025!

People can’t work
Have no income
Are at the risk of losing housing (some already did!)
No health insurance
No option to renew drivers license

This needs to be viral more than it gets attention now!

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

Talking about USCIS Pause here:

If people had been notified ahead of time, many of us could have planned our lives differently and made informed decisions about our futures.

Instead, a sudden and indefinite hold was imposed on legally filed applications
after applicants had already paid hundreds of dollars in filing fees and followed every required process!!

These are real people with careers,
families,
research projects,
and responsibilities…

A policy like this should at least consider the human impact instead of abruptly disrupting lives simply because people were born outside the United States, regardless of how much they contribute to this country.
@SecMullinDHS @USCISJoe @StephenM

[Jackal @DanieNightLewis]

Dear @JudiciaryDems @SenateGOP @SenatorDurbin @SenateDems,

For the past three months, members of our community have relentlessly pursued every possible avenue to raise awareness and bring attention to the @USCIS #pause on LEGAL immigrants:
- Meeting with senators, congressmen, and congresswomen
- Filing litigation
- Reaching out to news media
- Seeking support from universities
- etc.

Though they have been ignored, discouraged, and their concerns repeatedly overlooked:

They are NOT going to give up.

#LiftTheHold

[Congresswoman Delia C. Ramirez @repdeliaramirez]

Don't be fooled. Until Stephen Miller is fired, he is still the architect of the Trump regime and its white-nationalist, fascist mandate to terrorize our neighbors and profit from our pain.

We will not rest until Stephen Miller and all those who have abused their power and harmed our communities are held accountable.

[Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @ReichlinMelnick]

Legal immigrants are losing their jobs and their legal status not because THEY did anything wrong, but because the GOVERNMENT refuses to adjudicate the applications they paid for and filed. It should be a massive scandal.

[James Blunt @JBlunt1018]

The U.S. built the greatest universities in the world by attracting the best talent globally.

Now we’re watching international enrollment collapse while universities cut programs, freeze hiring, and struggle financially.

A 20% drop is massive. Some schools are reportedly seeing near-zero international intake in programs.

The irony is that Trump once talked about “stapling green cards to diplomas” with people like @Jason and @DavidSacks.

Instead, we’re creating uncertainty that pushes top students, researchers, and future founders elsewhere.

Countries competing with America are celebrating this.

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

We are not giving up.

We came here legally.
We followed the rules.
We stayed lawful.

We studied, trained, and earned the highest academic degrees possible.
We overcame obstacles few people ever face.
We fought for every opportunity we have.
We still do

We are people contributing to this country every day.

Lift the pause!

[Saeed @msedebrahimi]

#USCISpause and processing delay is only targeting LEGAL immigrants based on our place of birth and not by our actions

[Fhmh-thr @FHMTHR]

All legal Iranian immigrants in the US are under #USCISPause, which is freezing ALL the benefits for them. OPT-H1B-F2-J1-F1. PLEASE be our voice. Some lost jobs, some lost insurance, some became homeless, some are going hungry, families are torn apart. #LiftTheHold

[اَبر🕊 @RainShah273]

الان دوستم که دنبال ترنسفر به یه دانشگاه دیگه بود بهم اطلاع داد که استاد دانشگاه پردو بهش گفته دانشگاه ما دیگه کلا ایرانی نمیگیره!

(اون استثنا قانون ۶ ماه میل ادرس یه کشور دیگه داشته باشی هم کنکله، کلا دیگه ایرانی نمیگیرن!)

#USCISPause
#LiftTheHold

[David J. Bier @David_J_Bier]

USCIS's @USCISJoe stopped processing green cards for refugees and then told ICE where to go to arrest them for not getting a green card within 1 year of arrival. @USCISJoe should be impeached and removed from office for this reason alone.
https://t.co/mMGsYqimj7

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

At the same time legal Iranian scientists, researchers, physicians, engineers, and industry professionals are at risk of losing their status or work authorization simply because of their country of birth.

These people followed the legal process, passed vetting multiple times at every stage, studied at American universities, and are contributing to U.S. science, medicine, technology, and industry.

Policies should be consistent, transparent, and fair to legal high-skilled immigrants as well.

#ScientistsInLimbo
#LiftTheHold

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

I understand how hard it is to even get an interview at major tech companies, then pass 4–5 rounds of interviews and finally reach the offer stage.

And then suddenly, at the very end, the recruiter looks at your country of birth and everything changes.

It does not matter how brilliant you are.
How skilled you are.
How valuable you are.
How passionate you are.
How loyal you are to the company’s mission and to the values of this country.

No.
“Sorry, you’re Iranian.”

I have personally witnessed many incredibly talented friends lose opportunities this way after making it all the way to the finish line

And now, with this @USCIS pause, we are witnessing an entirely new level of hardship for Iranian talent and other highly skilled legal immigrants already contributing to the United States.

#ScientistsInLimbo
#LiftTheHold

[ScientistsOnHold @ScientistOnHold]

NVIDIA, the pride of the U.S.!
Many #NIW applicants are currently working at NVIDIA and other major tech companies, yet many of them may soon lose their work authorization permits because of the ongoing @USCIS pause.
These individuals are not taking jobs away from Americans. They create jobs by producing knowledge, driving innovation, advancing research, and strengthening the U.S. economy and technological leadership.

#ScientistsInLimbo

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

Well, I mean…

If the original justification for USCIS pause was “country of birth” and “national security concerns”, then why are physicians now exempt while scientists, engineers, researchers, and other legal high-skilled applicants remain on hold?

That distinction does not logically add up.
Don’t you think Joe? @USCISJoe

Iranian STEM researchers and NIW applicants also undergo vetting and are often working in fields directly tied to U.S. innovation, healthcare, technology, and national competitiveness. @SecRubio you agree with the fact that Iranians are phenomenal people nothing like the IRGC regime

@SecMullinDHS Many of us have been stuck in limbo for months despite being fully legal, highly vetted, and actively contributing to American research institutions and industries.

A policy based on nationality should not SELECTIVELY disappear only for certain professions while continuing to harm other critical legal and high value contributors to the U.S. scientific and economic ecosystem.

This policy needs to be seriously attention and revision @SenSchumer @SenatorDurbin @SenGaryPeters @SenAlexPadilla @JudiciaryDems @JudiciaryGOP

#LiftTheHold
#ScientistsInLimbo

[Neda S @NedaSa_]

@StateDept Lift the USCIS pause on Iranian researchers already residing in U.S. then!
Thanks