- White House Announces Reversal of Misguided ICE Policy on International Students and Virtual Classes
- State Department Announces Phased Resumption of Routine Visa Services
- Congress and COVID-19
- FY21 Appropriations Update
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce “Phase Four” COVID-19 Relief Request Includes Protections for International Students
- White House Chief Technology Officer to Serve as Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering
- Compete America Sends Letter in Response to July 6 ICE Guidance
WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES REVERSAL OF MISGUIDED ICE POLICY ON INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AND VIRTUAL CLASSES
On Tuesday, the White House announced it would not implement a United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) policy change that would have required international students to take in-person classes to keep their visa status. AAU President Mary Sue Coleman issued a statement following the announcement to thank the administration for listening to the “overwhelming outcry from America’s leading research universities, scientific research organizations, the business community, and others” and halting the policy change. The statement goes on to reiterate AAU’s unwavering support for international students – especially during the global pandemic – saying that AAU will “be vigilant against efforts by the administration to harm international students or force universities into rushed and unreasonable decisions regarding in-person instruction.”
STATE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES PHASED RESUMPTION OF ROUTINE VISA SERVICES
According to a notice and FAQ it published on Tuesday, the State Department will resume routine visa services on a post-by-post basis. The FAQ notes that embassies and consulates will begin to process some routine nonimmigrant and immigrant visa cases as conditions permit, including F-1, M-1, and certain J-1 student visas.
CONGRESS AND COVID-19
Negotiations on the next – and potentially final – 2020 COVID-19-related relief package are expected to begin next week when lawmakers return to Washington and Senate Republicans unveil their proposal, Bloomberg Tax reports. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said the measure would include a five-year liability shield for businesses and a new round of stimulus checks for workers making $40,000 or less. The administration has signaled it will not approve a “phase four” COVID-19 relief measure if it does not include a cut to the payroll tax, a provision which Democrats and some Republicans oppose.
RESOURCE AVAILABLE: AAU's Phase Four COVID-19 Relief and Stimulus Legislative Recommendations
U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE “PHASE FOUR” COVID-19 RELIEF REQUEST INCLUDES PROTECTIONS FOR INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Yesterday, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce sent a letter to the president and congressional leaders outlining its requests for the next COVID-19 relief package, including recommendations to provide more certainty for international students in light of conflicting information for the State Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The letter applauds the administration’s decision to abandon the ill-conceived ICE guidance that would have required international students to attend in-person classes to maintain their visa status, the guidance has still created uncertainty for prospective international students. “Congress must ensure that all international students set to attend American universities will be able to matriculate this academic year so they can pursue their dreams in the U.S.,” the letter notes.
FY21 APPROPRIATIONS UPDATE
The House Appropriations Committee this week completed its markup of all 12 FY21 appropriations measures. According to Politico Pro , the House will begin floor consideration with a package including Agriculture, Interior-Environment, Military Construction-VA and State-Foreign Operations measures as early as next week.
House Republicans have already warned that the president will likely veto the Defense spending measure due to several provisions, including “a lack of funding for a southern border wall and a requirement to rename military bases honoring Confederates,” CQ Budget reports. Additionally, several FY21 appropriations measures include supplemental appropriations to provide COVID-19-related relief, which chamber Republicans have said should be separate from the appropriations process and could be a sticking point during House floor consideration.
More detailed information about AAU’s finding priorities and recommendations can be found on the AAU FY21 Funding Priorities Tables.
WHITE HOUSE CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER TO SERVE AS ACTING UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE FOR RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING
The Defense Department recently announced that White House Chief Technology Officer Michael Kratsios will serve as acting undersecretary of defense for research and engineering. “In seeking to fill this position we wanted someone with experience in identifying and developing new technologies and working closely with a wide range of industry partners,” Defense Secretary Mark Esper said.
COMPETE AMERICA SENDS LETTER IN RESPONSE TO JULY 6 ICE GUIDANCE
Compete America, of which AAU is a member, on Wednesday sent a letter to leaders at the Department of Homeland Security and the Office of Management and Budget in response to the July 6 ICE guidance. The letter expresses concern with the announced ICE guidance and includes a small sampling of questions and publicly available materials relevant to considering policies permitting fully online education for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency for F-1 nonimmigrants in the United States.