Trump Rescinds Rule Impacting International Students

SAN ANGELO, TX — In an unexpected move the Trump administration has rescinded a rule that would have required international students to transfer or leave the country if their classes would be held entirely online.

According to the Associated Press, if the rule has not been rescinded international students would have not been allowed to take all courses online in the fall. 

Thousands of international students faced the risk of being deported if they didn’t transfer schools or leave the country voluntarily. In addition, new visas would have not been issued to students at schools that planned to provide online-only courses.

The policy received public backlash, multiple federal lawsuits, and opposition from hundreds of universities.

During the beginning of a federal hearing in a lawsuit presented by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs stated federal immigration authorities had agreed to pull the administration's directive and “return to the status quo.”

Before the initial decision was announced on July 6, immigration officials had announced on March 13 that colleges would not be subject to limits on online education during the pandemic.

When the administration announced their decision on July 6, higher education institutions argued the policy would put students at risk and hurt schools financially.

Immigration officials argued that colleges knew that guidance and directives issued during the pandemic were subject to change. They stated the administration’s rule was “consistent with existing law barring international students from taking classes entirely online. Federal officials said they were providing leniency by allowing students to keep their visas even if they study online from abroad.”