Trump administration reverses potentially costly ban on foreign students

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Non-immigrant F1 and M1 students would have been required to either leave the country or transfer to schools that offered hybrid or in-person classes. The ruling coincides with travel bans issued in March, which imposed restrictions on entry and departure amidst the threat of COVID-19.

Last week, however, the Trump administration stated this would no longer be the case. The State Department revealed exceptions would be made for some students in an effort to help rebuild the economy and “bolster key components of our transatlantic relationship.”

Some saw this as a move to force universities to open their doors for in-person instruction this fall, but briefings filed by Harvard and MIT professionals made it clear this would be a fatal mistake. Harvard and MIT brought a civil action against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, ICE, Chad F. Wolf, acting secretary of Homeland Security, and Mathew Ablence, acting director of ICE.