This archive report was first published on 9 July 2020.
As the US grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases, with over 300,000 new infections reported since July 1, top American universities are taking a stand against a decision by US immigration services to withdraw visas from international students whose courses are not being taught fully online.
On July 6, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that international students would not be allowed to stay in the country if they attend institutions, like Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, that are holding courses online this fall.
Harvard and MIT have filed a lawsuit against Homeland Security and ICE, accusing the agency of proceeding without considering the health of students, faculty, university staff, or communities.
According to the lawsuit, the ICE decision leaves 'hundreds of thousands of international students with no educational options within the United States.'
Harvard President Lawrence Bacow stated, 'We believe that the ICE order is bad public policy, and we believe that it is illegal.'
He further added, 'The order came down without notice—its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness. It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others.'
