THE
Daily Egyptian SERVING THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1916.
DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 2, 2025
Out in force: Snake migration draws visitors from Illinois and abroad
VOL. 108, ISSUE 27
International SIU student has visa revoked, confirms university admin Jackson Brandhorst @jacksondothtml
Kyle Taylor takes a close-up photograph of a cottonmouth while hiking Snake Road March 27, 2025 in Shawnee National Forest in Union County, Illinois. Enan Chediak | @enanchediak Enan Chediak Lylee Gibbs @enanchediak @lyleegibbsphoto
Why did the snake cross the road? To slither to its summer home. After a short period of cold weather, the snakes were out, crossing the road on a warm Thursday in spring. Thousands of snakes migrate across Forest Road 345 in Shawnee National Forest in the spring and fall, earning the road the name “Snake Road.”
A nearly 2.5-mile stretch of gravel road in Union County, Illinois divides the bluffs of LaRue Pine Hill from the LaRue Swamp, and a sign at the entrance reads in big bold letters, “You are about to enter a unique and fragile ecosystem,” next to a brown gate which closes the area off to only foot traffic. Consulting biologist John Palis had been hiking the road for a bit, recording data in his small, pocket-sized notebook, keeping tabs on this unique phenomenon.
The road, so quiet the creaking of trees could be heard, was vastly empty aside from Palis. A small number of visitors crossed his path on Thursday evening, but the visitors who showed up came from all over, including Illinois, Missouri, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. According to a 2016 study by Palis, the swamp is “an abandoned meander channel of the Big Muddy River, from which it is now separated by an earthen levee” and that the SNAKE ROAD | 6
Southern Illinois University administration confirmed on Friday, March 28 that an international SIU student has been notified that their student visa has been revoked. The SIU administration said that the federal government sent the notice to the student and that the student then informed the university of the situation. The SIU administration also told the Daily Egyptian that “universities do not have a role in the visa revocation process.” It is unclear why the revocation took place, and there are no further details about the student nor their status at this time. If a visa is revoked, it becomes invalid, meaning that it cannot be used to enter or re-enter the United States. A visa revocation can lead to severe consequences, including potential deportation or restrictions on future visa applications, depending on the type of visa. The Illinois Governor’s Office told the DE that they had received notification about the situation on Thursday, March 27. “The Governor’s senior staff has been in close touch with public and private university leadership across the state to ensure they are being vigilant about what’s happening on their respective campuses,” according to an email from the governor’s office. “The Governor’s team has asked universities to communicate with international students about the general
Agribusiness major and engineering major contend for USG president Carly Gist @gistofthestory
Election season is underway at Southern Illinois University, and the race for the next Undergraduate Student Government president is heating up. With incumbent
President Penny Bordewick announcing her decision to not seek reelection, two new candidates have stepped up to the line: Lydia Phelps and Phillip Hartke. The two students announced their USG PRESIDENT | 3
resources available to them through the institution as they do this on a regular basis. In addition, we have suggested that they connect impacted students with legal resources that have been in place for several years,” the email read. The office said that they will remain in close contact with university leadership regarding the situation. When asked if SIU will be making accommodations regarding the completion of the student’s education, administrators said that they are “assessing options at this time.” Despite no further details coming out about the situation from the university, the administration did send out an email to its international student body. Carry your documents with you, exercise discretion at demonstrations and protests, watch the things you say on social media and be wary when traveling, wrote the administration in the email. Signed by Tina Sickinger, Director of International Student and Scholar Services at SIU, the email was sent at 8:30 p.m. on Friday, March 28, hours after the university confirmed the revocation. “We understand that recent news may be unsettling, and we want to reassure you that our office is here to support you,” the email read. “While we do not wish to cause alarm, we are sharing the following guidance to help you stay informed, prepared, and protected during this time.” This time is one that is increasingly tumultuous for international students, one that has resulted in the revocation of VISA | 2
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Lydia Phelps Photo provided by Lydia Phelps
Phillip Hartke Photo provided by Phillip Hartke