
Feds Rescind Online Study Restrictions for International Students
Posted on Wednesday, July 15, 2020The Trump administration has dropped its effort to require international students to leave the U.S. if their schools will offer only online instruction this fall. The move came after a number of universities filed suit to stop implementation of the rule. It took only two minutes in a Boston Federal District Courtroom for the opposing parties - Harvard and MIT on the one hand and the federal government on the other – to reach an agreement. As a result, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will revert to the guidance issued in March, which allows international students to remain in the U.S. even if their college or university opts for online-only instruction due to health considerations.
The March advisories may be found at:
https://www.ice.gov/sites/default/files/documents/Document/2020/Coronavirus%20Guidance_3.13.20.pdf
Recent Immigration Blog Posts
-
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Program Accepting New Applications
Posted on Tuesday, December 8, 2020
Effective December 7, 2020 and pursuant to court order, the USCIS re-implemented the DACA policies in place before September 5, 2017. As a result, the agency is currently accepting new DACA applications based on those terms, and modifying decisions taken under the new policies to comply with the original terms of the DACA program.
-
File Your N-400 Now and Avoid Changes to Civics Test which take effect on 12/01/2020
Posted on Thursday, November 19, 2020
The USCIS has announced changes to the Civics portion of the naturalization test. Applicants who file before December 1, 2020 will take the current version (the “2008 version”). Those who file on or after that date will take the test put in place by the Trump Administration, the “2020 version.”
-
USCIS Fee Increases On Hold for Now
Posted on Wednesday, September 30, 2020
On September 29, 2020 a federal district court blocked implementation of the increases, as well as every other provision contained in the Final Rule.