This archive report was first published on 8 July 2020.
On July 6, 2020, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a revised policy for foreign students studying in the country.
Under the new rule, immigrant students whose classes are entirely moved online due to the Covid-19 pandemic are required to leave the US, failure to which they will be removed.
“Active students currently in the United States enrolled in such programs must depart the country or take other measures, such as transferring to a school with in-person instruction to remain in lawful status,” US Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement.
Universities and colleges offering a combination of in-person and virtual classes will be required to prove that foreign students are taking as many physical classes as possible to maintain their status.
Senator Bernie Sanders has criticized the Trump administration's move, accusing them of threatening foreign learners.
“The cruelty of this White House knows no bounds. Foreign students are being threatened with a choice: risk your life going to class-in person or get deported,” Senator Sanders tweeted.
According to the Institute of International Education (IIE), there were over one million international students in the US as of 2019, contributing $44.7 billion to the US economy in 2018.
