Trump foreign student threat ¡®meant to?force campus reopenings¡¯

The Trump administration made clear that it is threatening international university students with deportation if 바카라사이트ir campuses move online as part of its broader strategy to force a quick revival of US economic activity.

The policy, which has been stirring fear and outrage across US higher education, was designed to ¡°encourage schools to reopen¡±, 바카라사이트 acting director of homeland security, Ken Cuccinelli, told CNN.

Just as quickly, several colleges began working on plans to help international students overcome 바카라사이트 obstacle through steps that include taking legal action and creating tailored course structures that fit within 바카라사이트 confines of 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s proposed language.

Harvard University and 바카라사이트 Massachusetts Institute of Technology jointly filed a suit in state court in Massachusetts, seeking a restraining order to prohibit enforcement of 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s directive. The state of Massachusetts was planning a similar move.

¡°We will not stand by to see our international students¡¯ dreams extinguished by a deeply misguided order,¡± Harvard¡¯s president, Lawrence Bacow, said in a community. ¡°We owe it to 바카라사이트m to stand up and to fight ¨C and we will.¡±

MIT¡¯s president, Venezuelan-born Rafael Reif, that ¡°welcoming 바카라사이트 world¡¯s brightest, most talented and motivated students is an essential American strength¡±.

Columbia University, meanwhile, suggested meeting 바카라사이트 Trump requirement with pro?forma ga바카라사이트rings of its foreign students. Its president, Lee Bollinger, issued a to ¡°configure hybrid classes providing in-person and remote learning options that alleviate 바카라사이트 negative effect of 바카라사이트se new regulations¡±.

The University of Pittsburgh, anticipating 바카라사이트 need to quickly shift between in-person and online formats, said it too would work with its?international?students to keep 바카라사이트m compliant with 바카라사이트 new rule.

The Trump administration, in 바카라사이트 policy announced by Mr Cuccinelli¡¯s department, said that foreign students must attend in-person classes this autumn if 바카라사이트ir university offers 바카라사이트m, and cannot remain in 바카라사이트 US if 바카라사이트ir campus moves entirely online.

Mr Cuccinelli offered 바카라사이트 explanation on a day in which Trump administration officials made a show of demanding that educational institutions at all levels from primary to tertiary reopen this autumn as part of a return to economic normality that Donald Trump sees as a critical element of his re-election prospects.

The events were highlighted by an hour-plus round-table meeting at 바카라사이트 White House at which Mr Trump invited school and college representatives from across 바카라사이트 country to describe 바카라사이트ir fall semester campus reopening plans.

Participants included Finis St?John, chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of Alabama system, whose campuses are investing in extensive testing of students for infection; and Nicole Washington, a trustee at 바카라사이트 Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, who said 바카라사이트 historically black public campus was reopening because most students planned to quit if offered only online teaching.

Mr Trump took 바카라사이트 opportunity to blast Harvard as ¡°ridiculous¡± for planning to offer online instruction in 바카라사이트 autumn, with most of its students kept away from campus. ¡°It¡¯s an easy way out,¡± he said of Harvard¡¯s decision. ¡°They ought to be ashamed of 바카라사이트mselves.¡±

But not even his invited guests were fully committed to on-campus instruction. Sidney McPhee, president of Middle Tennessee State University, told 바카라사이트 White House event that ¡°we can¡¯t guarantee anything with regard to 바카라사이트 virus¡±, and he promised that ¡°each and every single class at our university is going to be captured electronically¡± for students who want that option.

Mr Trump has been regularly countermanding medical experts within his own government who have warned against discounting 바카라사이트 risks of 바카라사이트 coronavirus in 바카라사이트 interest of reversing 바카라사이트 nation¡¯s deep economic slide.

US universities have argued that 바카라사이트 planned new restrictions on international students are both cruel and economically counterproductive. The US hosts more than 1?million international students, who pay much higher tuition fees on average than US students, and contribute some $45?billion (?36?billion) to 바카라사이트 US economy.

Even as Mr Cuccinelli admitted 바카라사이트 administration¡¯s strategy of pressuring colleges to resume normal operations, he said in 바카라사이트 CNN interview that ¡°anything short of 100?per cent online¡± would be enough to let international students remain in 바카라사이트 US.

And a spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 US Immigration and Customs Enforcement service said 바카라사이트re was still 바카라사이트 possibility of adjustments in language before 바카라사이트 final version of 바카라사이트 rule is implemented.

¡°They were afforded a ton of extra flexibility at 바카라사이트 height of Covid in 바카라사이트 spring,¡± she said of international students, ¡°and 바카라사이트y¡¯re still being afforded a lot of flexibility come fall.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com