Today, July 6th 2020, ICE announced modifications to exemptions for international students taking online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The modifications allow for the deportation of students that attend schools without in person classes this Fall semester; it also has weird language that could get students deported if their school returns to campus and later moves back to remote classes. The new exemptions are as follows:

"Temporary exemptions for the fall 2020 semester include:

1. Nonimmigrant F-1 and M-1 students attending schools operating entirely online may not take a full online course load and remain in the United States. The U.S. Department of State will not issue visas to students enrolled in schools and/or programs that are fully online for the fall semester nor will U.S. Customs and Border Protection permit these students to enter the United States. 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. If not, they may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.
2. Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools operating under normal in-person classes are bound by existing federal regulations. Eligible F students may take a maximum of one class or three credit hours online.
3. Nonimmigrant F-1 students attending schools adopting a hybrid model—that is, a mixture of online and in person classes—will be allowed to take more than one class or three credit hours online. These schools must certify to SEVP, through the Form I-20, “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” certifying that the program is not entirely online, that the student is not taking an entirely online course load this semester, and that the student is taking the minimum number of online classes required to make normal progress in their degree program. The above exemptions do not apply to F-1 students in English language training programs or M-1 students pursing vocational degrees, who are not permitted to enroll in any online courses."

https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/sevp-modifies-temporary-exemptions-nonimmigrant-students-taking-online-courses-during

We call for all elected officials to take a stand and do something about this to protect our international students. These students legally obtained visas to attend school within our country, benefitting our campuses with diversity of thought. We cannot guarantee these students are not immunocompromised and choosing between their life and their education, nor can we guarantee these students have stable internet in their home country should they be forced to return. Significant differences in time zones may also contribute to a students inability to attend their institution virtually from outside the U.S.

We must protect our international students and we call for all elected officials within our country to take a stand towards doing so.