HARTFORD, Conn —
A big step back from the Trump administration Tuesday. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement rescinded the President’s proposal to revoke international students' visas.
A number of states including Connecticut were suing the Trump administration over this move, and many are now happy the lawsuit is no longer needed after the federal government’s decision to pull back.
International students breathing a sigh of relief after the U.S. the Department of Homeland Security decided to rescind a rule that would have required international students to transfer schools or leave the country if their colleges switched to strictly online learning this fall due to COVID-19.
The move comes one day after Connecticut joined seventeen other states in a lawsuit suing the Trump administration over the proposal.
Attorney General William Tong and Governor Lamont both condemned the President’s idea to revoke international students’ visas, calling it cruel and unlawful.
“It just made no sense when we’re in the middle of a public health emergency threatening to deport thousands of thousands of students because they're international students,” Tong said.
Bryan Chong is a senior at Wesleyan University originally from Hong Kong, China. He said the announcement had many international students feeling as though their futures were destroyed.
“Especially those that come from families and socioeconomic backgrounds of lower means, those who have worked their entire lives to get their visas, I really feel sorry for them needing to go through this ordeal,” Chong said.
Nearly 13 percent of the student body at UCONN consist of international students., President Tom Katsalous tweeted Tuesday “the right decision for so many reasons — moral, public health, and prevention of a potential brain drain.”
Southern Connecticut State University President Joe Bertolino tweeted: “#internationalstudents will no longer be asked to return to their home countries in the event higher education moves online. you may safely stay here with us.”
Attorney General Tong said because this decision came and went so quickly from the President, he is now focused on protecting Connecticut colleges and universities and their students.