Recently, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that the international students who have F-1 and M-1 visas would have to leave the United States by July 15, 2020 if they are not taking a full-course load on campus. A couple days later, Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sued U.S. DHS and ICE for their initiative. Both universities argue that either the universities hold classes in person and risk the health of everyone involved (such as instructors, janitorial staff, and students) or students would have to quickly find flights, pay exorbitant fees, and return to countries that may not be safe or allow for internet use to access classes, amongst many other reasons.
There are over one million international students in the United States and a large number of them would have to leave based on the DHS and ICE’s guidance. More universities may join the lawsuit and the outcome of it is pending; stay tuned to see the decision from the Court.
As a Certified Specialist in U.S. Immigration, Law Offices of Wiliani-Malek Inc. is closely monitoring the ongoing case. Contact us today for assistance with your immigration case.
