Following the latest Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) guidelines, [Harvard and MIT are suing](Harvard, MIT sue to block ICE rule on international students) the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) over international students’ rights to stay in the country this fall.
As reported by @CCEdit_Torrey, “international students who planned to attend US colleges this fall were given a new threshold to cross by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement yesterday. If their classes will be operated entirely online this fall, those students will be prohibited from remaining in the US or traveling here on a student visa.” [Read full article here](International Students Barred from US If College Only Offers Online Classes).
Also read the forum discussion below: http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/parents-forum/2190791-ice-to-deport-international-students-at-colleges-and-universities-that-have-gone-online-for-covid.html
[Harvard announced Monday](http://talk.qa.collegeconfidential.com/harvard-university/2190771-harvard-will-hold-all-2020-2021-courses-online-tuition-stays-the-same.html) it will hold all 2020-2021 courses online.
Northeastern has joined the lawsuit.
They can all join but at the end of the day Harvard’s case seems weak. I hope the administration will at the minimum consider allowing international students who are already here to remain as they are the most immediately and negatively impacted by the rule.
Cornell offers offshore centers for internationals who can’t return. Will this help?
https://thepienews.com/news/cornell-university-study-away-scheme/
Apparently MA has a 14-day self-quarantine requirement which I assume all colleges there have to comply with. That’s for humans from anywhere except New England, New York and New Jersey.
https://www.mass.gov/doc/covid-19-travel-advisory-july-1-2020/download
DHS and ICE Rescind Policy Barring International Students Taking Online Courses
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2020/7/15/ice-lawsuit-policy-rescinded/
DHS & ICE backed down:
“The Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have agreed to rescind a policy that would bar international students taking online-only courses from residing in the United States, federal judge Allison D. Burroughs announced at a hearing on Tuesday…less than five minutes into a hearing…”
Hmmm… the DHS and US Immigration and Customs had this policy for a reason, for example: 911! Let us not forget. So I hope we dont regret this rescission.