The SDSU University Senate unanimously passed a resolution in support of international faculty members who hold H-1B visas during a meeting on Feb. 3. 

H-1B visas allow those with “specialty occupations,” such as professors, to temporarily work in the U.S. 

Currently, some H-1B visa holders who are abroad are unable to return to the U.S.

SDSU Faculty Affairs Committee member Kathryn Edgerton-Tarpley said during the meeting that these H-1B visa holders have had their visa appointments canceled, leaving them stuck until the interviews are rescheduled.

Some visa appointments have been moved until 2027, she said. 

This means that any faculty members who wish to conduct research abroad, attend international conferences or visit a sick relative cannot do so without guaranteed return to the USA. 

The resolution calls for legal and financial support for affected faculty. Additionally, it asks SDSU administration to allow faculty members who are unable to return to the U.S. to continue teaching their courses online. Lastly, it calls upon President de la Torre to publicly address the issue and emphasize the importance of international faculty. 

This vote comes in response to a U.S. Department of State’s decision to expand screening and vetting for all H-1B holders and their dependents as of Dec. 15. As a result, the number of visa interviews conducted by U.S. consulates has sharply declined, according to Edgerton-Tarpley. 

Additionally, H-1B visa holders may no longer complete the stamping procedure, a process which grants re-entry to the U.S., in Canada or Mexico. Consequently, visa appointments must now be completed in one’s home country. 

Fewer visa appointments combined with fewer location options have caused backlogging, another factor keeping H-1B-holding faculty from returning to campus.

President Donald Trump also signed a proclamation in Sept. 2025 that requires employers to pay a $100,000 fee to secure an H-1B for new workers. 

The American Association of University Professors said these changes may lead to “catastrophic setbacks” to U.S. research, according to Inside Higher Ed. 

As of publication, the resolution’s demands have yet to be implemented.