NEW DELHI: The University of Michigan on Saturday defied US President Donald Trump's executive order on Muslim immigrants and refugees+ and refused to release the immigration status information of its international students.

On Saturday, the University's President Mark Schlissel released a statement, on university website, affirming the varsity's commitment to international students and faculty. Trump's executive order signed on Friday bans the immigration and travel of people from many Muslim-majority countries.

"The university complies with federal requirements associated with managing its international programs," Schlissel said in the statement. "Otherwise, the university does not share sensitive information like immigration status."

The statement focused the University's obligation and Schlissel's personal commitment to the institute's international community.

The University has been admitting foreign students since the late 1840s, the statement said.

"Fostering an environment that promotes education and research at the highest levels is among my most important responsibilities as the University of Michigan's president," Schlissel said.

" The leadership of the university is committed to protecting the rights and opportunities currently available to all members of our academic community, and to do whatever is possible within the law to continue to identify, recruit, support and retain academic talent, at all levels, from around the world. Trump's illegal Muslim ban is an act of terror against students who are in this country legally to get an education. Universities across the country are scrambling to reassure students and prevent them from leaving the country," Schlissel said.

He added that international students add valuable skills to the US workforces both at home and abroad.