Visas
Four-Year Limits on Student Visas Were Imposed Illegally, New Lawsuit Argues
Higher-education advocacy groups have sued over the Trump administration’s new policy limiting student visas to four years. The complaint, filed late Monday in the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts, argues that the Department of Homeland Security exceeded its authority and imposed the rule without meaningfully considering alternatives.
Foreign students used to be able to stay in the United States as long as they were enrolled full time. Now they can only stay in the United States for four years or 30 days after their program’s completion date, whichever is shorter, and must get approval from the federal government to remain past that date. The change could present a big problem for undergraduate students and Ph.D. students, most of whom don’t finish degrees in four years.
Organizations that sued on Monday include:
- NAFSA: Association of International Educators
- Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration
- Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts
- Several labor unions
Miriam Feldblum, of the Presidents’ Alliance, said the strict limits “do not align with actual program lengths or students’ educational needs.”
- Sarah Brown, Chronicle of Higher Education
