TOMBALL, Texas – LSC-Tomball on Monday hosted the first of a series of workshops to help address questions surrounding the recent immigration order named "Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States” signed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 27.
Students from more than 100 different countries attend Lone Star College. During the workshop, LSC-Tomball students, faculty, staff, and community members received information from Sarah Monty, an independent immigration attorney for Houston-based Monty & Ramirez, LLP.
Monty explained what the executive order restricting travel from the seven countries means to those impacted. She also provided details on steps individuals can take concerning any current or future immigration orders.
“When it comes to immigration issues, it has always been hard,” Monty said. “It’s just getting people’s attention now.”
The executive order restricted travel from seven countries and affects people of all immigration statuses. On Friday, Feb. 3, a federal court in the state of Washington temporarily stayed this executive order. On Feb. 9, a federal appeals court in San Francisco upheld a nationwide injunction blocking the executive order to close U.S. borders to certain immigrants and refugees worldwide. The president is scheduled to release a new immigration executive order this week.
LSC-Tomball Student Villeta Roque, who is a US citizen, but has parents living in the US who are not citizens, said she attended the workshop because she has concerns regarding the immigration order.
Likewise, Ken Billings, LSC-Tomball advisor, noted that the issue of immigration is a hot topic among the students he sees on a daily basis. His purpose for attending the workshop was to become informed in order to have answers for students if they have questions.
“This is a really big deal,” Billings said. “We have students who are here on visas, so many of them have issues and questions. I came here to make sure that I’m up to speed, because if we don’t know the answers, how will they know?”
LSC-Kingwood and LSC-North Harris will host immigration workshops Feb. 21. LSC-Montgomery will host a workshop Feb. 23 and LSC-CyFair is hosting the final workshop Feb. 24.
Lone Star College-Tomball is located at 35000 Tomball Parkway, at the intersection of SH 249 and Zion Road. For more information about the college, call 281.351.3300 or visit LoneStar.edu/Tomball.