- President Biden Announces “American Families Plan” in First Address to Congress
- Coalition for International Education Supports Including the Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act in the Endless Frontier Act
- State Department Adds Students Traveling from China, Additional Countries to Travel Restriction Exemptions
- ICE Renews COVID-19 Guidance on Foreign Students
- Upcoming Events
PRESIDENT BIDEN ANNOUNCES “AMERICAN FAMILIES PLAN” IN FIRST ADDRESS TO CONGRESS
President Biden, in his first annual address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday, announced his “American Families Plan,” a complement to the “American Jobs Plan” he announced last month. These two plans make up the administration’s infrastructure proposal as part of its larger “Build Back Better” agenda. AAU tweeted about the plan shortly after it was released, lauding the proposal for making “important investments that would advance higher education.” The White House’s fact sheet on the plan is available here .
COALITION FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION SUPPORTS ENHANCEMENTS FOUND IN THE ADVANCING INTERNATIONAL AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE EDUCATION ACT
On Tuesday, AAU joined the Coalition for International Education on a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) urging them to support enhancements to Title VI of the Higher Education Act, as proposed in the bipartisan Advancing International and Foreign Language Education Act. The legislation would restore federal investments in foreign language education that have remained flat for a decade after significant cuts in FY11.
STATE DEPARTMENT ADDS STUDENTS TRAVELING FROM CHINA, ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES TO TRAVEL RESTRICTION EXEMPTIONS
On Monday, Secretary of State Anthony J. Blinken made a new national-interest determination for students and exchange visitors, exempting them from the COVID-19-related visa and entry restrictions currently in place for China, Iran, Brazil, and South Africa. This adds those countries to the national-interest exemptions already in place for students and exchange visitors traveling from the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Europe’s Schengen area. Valid F-1 and M-1 visa holders can begin to enter the United States no earlier than 30 days before the start of their academic studies, starting on August 1, 2021. The notice says, “students seeking to apply for new F-1 or M-1 visas should check the status of visa services at the nearest embassy or consulate; those applicants who are found to be otherwise qualified for an F-1 or M-1 visa will automatically be considered for an NIE to travel.”
ICE RENEWS COVID-19 GUIDANCE ON FOREIGN STUDENTS
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program announced on Monday that it was extending guidance, originally issued at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, for foreign students studying in the United States. The guidance enables schools and students engaged in online learning programs to remain in the United States beyond normal eligibility limits. There are no changes to the original guidance, which will remain in effect during the 2021-22 academic year. The guidance is available here , and FAQs regarding the guidance are available here .
UPCOMING EVENTS