Dr. Bilgesu Sümer is an assistant professor of political science at NMHU since 2022. He is a foreign national and needs the university to sponsor his H1B visa to continue his work. Since August 2025, Dr. Sümer has been trying to get the NMHU administration to start the visa application process so that he can continue to work and serve the community. Despite the many promises that the administrators have made him, no progress has been made. And finally, on May 27, 2026, Dr. Sümer received a letter telling him that the university will not sponsor his H1B visa application.

This decision is a discriminatory one that needs to be reversed immediately as previous faculty have been sponsored by NMHU, and there can be no reason to single out Dr. Sümer. These visas are highly specialized work authorization permits that can be obtained only by the employing universities. This is despite the fact that Dr. Sümer is reappointed in his position by the university. Not renewing this work authorization amounts to firing a faculty without a cause. NMHU administration should change their decision immediately so that Dr. Sümer can return back to teaching in next Fall.

Please sign this petition to tell the NMHU administrators that their decision is discriminatory and they should reverse it immediately, and obtain the work authorization for Dr. Sümer. This would be a big loss for NMHU. Dr. Sümer is the elected Faculty Senate Secretary, Faculty Association Executive Committee Secretary, a member of the President's Diversity, Inclusion and Equity committee, and a co-director of the Gender and Women's Studies Program at NMHU. He is the only political science professor and has many students who are relying on him next year to continue their studies. He is also a proud board member of the Northeast NM Animal Welfare Coalition. He has made Las Vegas, NM his home and please support this petition so he can continue to stay in this community that he calls his home.