180 universities litigate rule barring foreign students if colleges go online-only

[struggle4progress]

1. A really cruel move

7/9/2020, 1:08AM
BY MAYDHA DEVARAJAN

Rafaela Bayas didn’t intend on returning to Ecuador in 2020. After her spring study abroad program in Scotland and summer internship in Charleston, the rising senior planned to move into her house in Chapel Hill for the school year.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic caused her spring program to end early, and with the Trump administration’s European travel ban, Bayas was forced to return to her home country. Now, she said she’s not sure if she’ll be able to come back to UNC’s campus at all ...

On July 6, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced changes to temporary exemptions for students on F-1 and M-1 visas taking online classes in the fall because of the pandemic. Under the exemptions, students who are taking an entirely remote course load are not allowed to remain in the country, and if they do not leave or take measures like transferring to another school with in-person classes, they face potential deportation.

Following the announcement, Harvard University and MIT have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration for the new guidance. Several other institutions have since announced plans to to support international students through in-person class options ...

https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2020/07/international-student-cancellation-0708