JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced Monday international students with visas will have to leave the country if their school opted to only hold online classes this fall semester.
ICE posted the update to its Student and Exchange Visitor Program, giving foreign students two options: Leave the country or transfer to a school with in-person classes. Failure to comply will result in deportation.
The post also stated if you are a student planning to enter the country on a student visa to attend online classes in the fall, you will not be allowed in the US.
Concerns have arisen since the statement, as some students have home countries that have no WiFi, dramatic difference in time zones, and severe rates of COVID-19.
International students are 5.5% of the higher education population in the US in the 2018-2019 academic year.
Research projects with international participants will be disrupted as labs may not be available to those learning remotely.
ICE states that some students on visas can stay in the US if they’re school has adopted a hybrid model with in-person and online classes. Schools will have to certify that the student’s program is not only online.