State Department spokesman Adam Ereli says that even though Islamic propagandist Tariq Ramadan’s visa to teach at Notre Dame University was revoked by recommendation of the Department of Homeland Security, Ramadan is free to apply for another visa: Islamic Scholar May Reapply For Visa.

WASHINGTON, Aug 25 (AFP) - Muslim scholar Tariq Ramadan may seek a new US visa to replace one whose revocation prevented him from taking up a post at Notre Dame University, a US officials said Wednesday.

“Doctor Ramadan is able to reapply for another visa,” State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said.

The Swiss-based scholar was expected at Indiana’s Notre Dame University’s Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies this week, until his visa was revoked late last month. The US State Department revoked the visa, issued in February, on July 28 on the recommendation of officials in the Department of Homeland Security.

Ereli did not explain why the visa was canceled, citing the confidentiality of visa records. “Mister Ramadan’s visa was revoked pursuant to an action by the Department of Homeland Security to invalidate the petition on which it was based,” Ereli said. “And he is not ineligible for applying for a visa, nor is he ineligible to receive a visa,” Ereli said. “But this particular visa that was issued based on the Department of Homeland Security petition had to be revoked.”

A spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency within the US Department of Homeland Security, had declined Tuesday to comment on the specifics of the case. “Generally speaking, the criteria for revocation is public safety or national security,” Russ Knocke said.

“Professor Ramadan is a distinguished scholar and a voice for moderation in the Muslim world,” said Notre Dame spokesman Matthew Storin. “We know of no reason his entry should be prevented.”

Judging from Notre Dame’s statements, you can be sure they’re pulling every possible string to get Tariq Ramadan into the United States. And judging from Ereli’s statements, it looks like it’s working.