Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sued the Trump administration in a federal court on Wednesday in an effort to block the enforcement …
Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) sued the Trump administration in a federal court on Wednesday in an effort to block the enforcement of a new rule that prevents international students from staying in the United States if their school only offers online courses this upcoming fall.
The institutions are seeking a temporary restraining order to block the rule (pdf), which was announced by the U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on July 6. The rule requires international students to leave the country or transfer to another institution if their schools offer classes entirely online in fall 2020. If not, the students may risk consequences such as deportation.
The new rule quickly garnered widespread criticism by academic institutions who are already struggling to navigate the logistical challenges of safely resuming classes as some states across the country see an increase of cases of the CCP virus.
“The order came down without notice—its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness,” Harvard President Larry Bacow said in a statement Wednesday. “It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others.
