A Muslim Swiss citizen has had his US Visa withdrawn.

He was supposed to come to Univ of Notre Dame as a professor of Religion. The visa was issued in May, but withdrawn at the beginning of August, days before he was going to leave with his family.

Ramadan, a well-known intellectual in France and Switzerland, said although he had been told he could reapply, there was little point in doing so until he knew why approval had been withdrawn this time.

“We need that information,” he said, adding that his main concern at the moment was for his family, who had been left in a difficult position by the U.S. about-turn.

“It is very distressing for them. All our things and furniture have already been sent (there),” he told Reuters. “We are living in an empty house.”

Ramadan, who has advised the European Commission on religious issues and addressed conferences sponsored by the State Department, traveled without problems to the United States in April with his wife and four children to choose a house and schools.