The Trump administration’s proposals on the student sector during the pandemic

Clearly, the arrival of the global Coronavirus pandemic and the alarming number of people infected in the North American territory forced the Trump administration to adopt multiple restrictions, limitations and emergency measures that seek to protect the local economic and health system.

Speaking specifically about immigration, the current administration of the US implemented several action plans that substantially restrict the ability for foreigners to apply for entry or legal residence permits.

For instance, the student sector has been threatened, on multiples occasions, by the Trump administration due to the massive outbreak of COVID-19 in the US.

In fact, in early July 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declared that foreign students had to attend at least a portion of face-to-face classes during the fall to avoid deportation proceedings.

However, despite the intention of the Trump administration to pressure universities and colleges to resume face-to-face classes, international students won the legal battle as government officials revoked this measure and allowed them to attend purely virtual classes during the sanitary crisis.

You may also like: Recent Study Shows International Students Still Fear Deportation

Do you need help with an immigration case of any kind? Contact Motion Law and follow the advice of experts.

The government proposes limitations for the education sector again

The DHS released an official statement called “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.”

The official statement declares that foreign students will have the possibility to apply for a non-immigrant visa valid for two years, with the possibility of extension for up to four years.

It is important to clarify that, normally, international students have the possibility of residing in the US while they finish their studies. By this, we mean that their legal permits do not have an expiration date.

However, the DHS argues that many foreigners take advantage of these conditions and remain in the country after completing their studies, but that federal entities such as the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have no way of proving that foreigners are accumulating unlawful presence and this could affect national security.

Therefore, “DHS proposes to amend its regulations by changing the admission period of F, J, and I aliens from duration of status to an admission for a fixed time period.”

The F, J and I visas refer to foreign students, exchange students and foreign journalists respectively.

Important fact

This proposal would only apply to citizens of countries belonging to the “State Department’s State Sponsors Terrorism List”, since these nations tend to exceed 10% of visa expiration rate.

It means they tend to continue to reside in the US after their legal permits expire.

Do you need to extend your residence permit in the US?

It takes expertise in the immigration field to properly understand the robust law of the US. However, it is not necessary for you to know all the current processes, but it is important for you to have the help of experts in immigration matters.

That is why the best recommendation when submitting an immigration application is to seek reliable help and avoid possible rejection by the USCIS. On top of that, if you need to extend your residence permit, there are multiple options that could work for your specific case and it is essential for you to choose the right one, following experts’ guidance.

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.