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I work in a research group with a large number of international graduate students. Recent news in my country (the United States) has been deeply unsettling for some of these students, especially the ones who hail from "unwelcome" countries (see here).

As a U.S. citizen, I (personally) feel guilty and embarrassed over the current goings-on (nor do I agree with them), though I certainly do not expect other Americans to necessarily feel that way too. Many of these students in my lab know my personal feelings on the matter. But at the end of the day, there isn't much I can do right now to affect national policy, so I'm trying to think more locally.

What, if anything, can I do here in my lab/department/university to help my fellow students/peers/friends?

tonysdg
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The best thing you can do in my opinion is to be the change you wish to see in the world. Namely, be as friendly and welcoming to the international students as you can be. This will show them that negative views towards people who hail from the countries they come from are not shared by the entire US population, but are simply the opinions of certain people who happen to hold political office these days. It will also make you a role model for other Americans in your lab and department who may be inspired by your positive example to act in similar ways.

Dan Romik
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    +1, inviting them into your life is going to be far more effective than anything else you can do. – enderland Jan 26 '17 at 18:40
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    +1 it's almost certain they'll be feeling the same way about their own governments, so you'll be in the same boat. I would also suggest explicitly letting them know that you support them and not what your government is doing, if you still think they may have any doubts. – user541686 Jan 26 '17 at 19:55
  • This is utopia, in a nice world this is how we should all be. But what about the real world when these students are not on campus, and they're looking for accommodation or part-time work?. – Mari-Lou A Jan 27 '17 at 13:01
  • @Mari-LouA I have no idea what you're referring to about students not being on campus (OP describes them as students in his research group, so it seems safe to assume he sees them on campus), but feel free to write your own less utopian answer. – Dan Romik Jan 27 '17 at 15:27
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As I said in my comment" "Talk to them". At the very least, this way you will show them that you care, dispel the notion (not completely unfounded) that "americans do not care about what happens outside of their own country". Talk to them about life in the country they left, how did they manage to get away, how are they adapting to the new country (and the new, post-election, realities). This will be an interesting learning experience for both you (since you never left the US) and them. This might force you to think about difficult questions to which there are no easy answers, such as:

  • How does one live in a dictatorship and retain (some level of) integrity?

  • How do you politely reject an offer to work for a secret police?

  • What do you do if you find out that your brother is informing (the secret police) on your grandfather?

  • What do you do if a policeman asks for a bribe?

  • What do you do when your best friend kills his sister because his father told him to do so?

.....

Moishe Kohan
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    I appreciate the sentiment here, but I'm giving a -1 for the implications. I agree that there are hard questions that I've never faced, but I think this response is a bit extreme -- the U.S. is still a democracy, regardless of my political views, and I have to respect the opinions of my countrymen if I want them to respect my own. – tonysdg Jan 26 '17 at 01:16
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    This answer kinda depicts the amount of ignorance in some of Amiricans. Dude, do you really think that these are the main issues in their country?? You should actually try to talk to them yourself! And watch less movies – polfosol Jan 26 '17 at 04:54
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    @Toadfish: I should say that I downvoted because I got the sense that MoisheCohen was saying "these are things that might happen in the U.S. someday soon". I don't want to ignore that these atrocities do happen around the world, and I'm more than happy to listen and (try to) learn from others who have these experiences. I may have interpreted this answer wrong. – tonysdg Jan 26 '17 at 05:09
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    @tonysdg that's actually why I said it's not perfect — to say that any of the examples given are immanent in the US is hyperbole; I feel that in a sense, listening to people with different experiences could actually moderate the panic experienced by some Americans at this point in time: there are those who have experienced far worse, and people find ways to live, to fight, to leave if they have to. America may no longer be the shining light on the hill, but it's not Somalia. – Toadfish Jan 26 '17 at 05:28
  • I feel that this is the right answer. Simply by talking and being nice, you show them that what's being reported on the news and maybe being experienced from some unpleasant individuals, is not universal. A student may also feel isolated due to poor English, which you are helping by taking time to talk, or cultural differences, which you may be able to help by explaining. – nigel222 Jan 26 '17 at 13:03
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    Thankfully, there is no secret police in the U.S. (yet). What on Earth does the last question have to do with any political situation, ever? – DepressedDaniel Jan 27 '17 at 03:50
  • This starts off like good advice. And then the bullet points seem to be a list of stereotypes about "other places"... It also seems to assume that everybody in question is a refugee. If we're talking grad students, the most likely answer to" how did you get away? " is going to be " I was offered a position here, so I got on a plane " – Flyto Feb 01 '17 at 07:23
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You could reassure them with the truth. The USA goes through political swings in one direction, then the other. People on either side are not nearly as bad as people in the other political party make them out to be. You could tell them that although there are changes in actions and behaviors of the goverment and people, for the most part, the talk is usually of a much greater magnitude than the actions that take place.

Itsme2003
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    Some of these students may be from countries that have just been banned from entry to the country, even for those who have gone through the considerable trouble to obtain a visa. I'm not sure that reassuring them that it's mostly all talk and people aren't so bad is going to help. – Zach Lipton Jan 26 '17 at 19:04
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If individual students are experiencing personal distress due to this matter, they should seek counselling or therapy; the university should provide these services. Moreover, if you see international students (or, more generally, if you see anyone) be kind and respectful to them. This is a general rule which you can never go wrong with. In this sense, your question is quite trivial; be nice, problem solved.

At a more fundamental level, though, I believe that this question has a political overtone. Implicit is that this policy decision is bad and something Americans ought to apologize for. The decision made by the Trump administration is a temporary ban on refugees from a handful of Muslim-majority countries. Its purpose is not racist or meant to demonize people based on their ethnic or national origin; it is a national security measure. We can debate its merits, but this notion that the policy constitutes a personal attack on all Muslim students is absurd.

When the university "helps" these students systemically, they are taking the normative stance that the policy is wrong and that the students' feeling of "unwelcomeness" is justified. It is not within the university's purview to take an active position on these matters.

MathematicsStudent1122
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    WRT the political overtone: I won't deny that I don't support and in fact disagree with this policy decision. That does influence my state of mind. I also understand that some (many?) of my fellow countrymen do support and agree with it. And I respect those beliefs -- they believe that this is the best way to keep themselves and their children safe. FWIW, my focus here isn't on my own feelings -- yes, I feel embarrassed, but that's my problem, not anyone else's -- but rather on my colleagues who do feel personally attacked. You can call it absurd if you wish, but that's how they feel. – tonysdg Jan 26 '17 at 01:14
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    I think there's a valid question here, regardless of politics. Even if you believe that the ban is justified by national security concerns, surely you can understand that people from those countries who are in the U.S. are likely to feel unwelcome. – mhwombat Jan 26 '17 at 01:33
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    The premise of this answer seems to be that it is the policies of the Trump administration that are causing international students to feel unwelcome in the US, and that such feelings are unjustified in view of the supposedly rational and unracist nature of these policies. I'm sorry but I find this laughably false. You ignore the fact that certain politicians have consistently employed very toxic and inflammatory rhetoric against those groups that is strongly suggestive of a real animus they hold. The policy may or may not have merit but that's totally not the cause of the problem here. – Dan Romik Jan 26 '17 at 01:49
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    @DanRomik The rhetoric has been going on for over a year. The question implies that certain international students are "[unsettled]" due to current events, namely the policy change. This is what my answer addresses. – MathematicsStudent1122 Jan 26 '17 at 04:30
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    -1 "It is not within the university's purview to take an active position on these matters." -- Definitely not a consensus view in academia. For example, here is my college's official statement on "Our Commitment to a Safe and Welcoming Place", dated 11/30/2016, that one could use as a model: http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/sub-administration/PresOffice/Documents/CommitmentLetter.pdf – Daniel R. Collins Jan 26 '17 at 07:27
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    personal attack on all Muslim students is absurd - thoroughly disagree, given Trump's call on a blanket ban against all Muslims – Nobilis Jan 26 '17 at 09:24
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    Considering that the Muslims countries that have been banned are not the ones responsible for the worst attacks on the US, but the one country that is responsible provides the US with tonnes of money and isn't banned does seem to suggest that the policy is motivated by something other than fact. Perhaps alternative facts. – SGR Jan 26 '17 at 14:49
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    @Nobilis "Trump's call on a blanket ban against all Muslims" Source? – NPSF3000 Jan 26 '17 at 16:22
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    @NPSF3000 Wow, are you seriously asking me this? https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/dec/07/donald-trump-ban-all-muslims-entering-us-san-bernardino-shooting – Nobilis Jan 26 '17 at 17:31
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    @Nobilis Thanks for the article. I did not read where Donald Trump actually called for a 'ban against all Muslims'. Can you demonstrate what raises this concern? (It's also worth noting this article is over a year old... if Trump wants a ban wouldn't there be more recent evidence?) – NPSF3000 Jan 26 '17 at 17:46
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    Being a male foreign student, with dark skin, and dark hair if I experience racist attacks or comments toward me, I do not need to seek therapy or counselling. That is such a dismissive, and belittling piece of advice I've come across in a long time. The problem does not lie with the foreign student's perceptions. The problem lies with those very people who abuse foreigners, because now they feel protected, and supported by the American government. This is also happening in the UK post Brexit. And it will, eventually, spread across entire Europe. – Mari-Lou A Jan 27 '17 at 12:58
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    Its purpose is not racist or meant to demonize people based on their ethnic or national origin and this notion that the policy constitutes a personal attack on all Muslim students is absurd : Sorry, where does the Q say or imply any of these two things ? Personally I see a clear political overtone in your answer because of this. – SantiBailors Jan 27 '17 at 13:04
  • "Being a male foreign student, with dark skin, and dark hair if I experience racist attacks or comments toward me, I do not need to seek therapy or counselling. That is such a dismissive, and belittling piece of advice I've come across in a long time" Sure, but others aren't the same. I referred to people who are suffering personal distress. Counselling isn't anything to be ashamed about, so there's nothing belittling in what I said. – MathematicsStudent1122 Jan 27 '17 at 13:11
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    @SantiBailors If students are "unsettled" and feel "unwelcome", then I don't think it's unreasonable to say that they perceive the policy as being a personal attack. – MathematicsStudent1122 Jan 27 '17 at 13:15
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    @SantiBailors Yes, of course my answer is partially political because I'm addressing a political assumption the question makes. However, I'm not taking sides on the issue like OP is. I'm merely asserting that the policy is not a personal attack on all Muslim students. The claim that it is a personal attack is nonsense because the motivation for the policy is national security. If a sovereign state does not have an absolute, open borders policy towards refugees, that doesn't imply racism or constitute a "personal attack". – MathematicsStudent1122 Jan 27 '17 at 13:29
  • @MathematicsStudent1122 Sorry but you are using rhetoric, logical fallacies and debating techniques, and I don't have time or interest to rebuff them nor is this the right place for that, so I won't embark on that and I concede. – SantiBailors Jan 27 '17 at 13:45
  • We could not only discuss the merits of the measure, but also its intent. – Carsten S Jan 27 '17 at 14:39
  • It does not matter whether the policy is intended as a personal attack. The question refers to people who perceive it as such. Telling them they're wrong is not helpful. – Flyto Feb 01 '17 at 07:26