Has your university shifted to online classes due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the fall 2020 semester? You must leave the United States, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, SEVP.
The Trump administration’s plan to deport foreign students comes amid a ban on American tourists by member states of the European Union.
The EU agreed to remove the U.S. from an initial “safe list” of 14 countries from which it will allow non-essential travel starting in July, according to the European Council.
The United States leads the world in the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths with nearly 2.9 million infections, according to July 6 data from Johns Hopkins University.
SEVP had previously temporarily exempted international students regarding online courses for the spring and summer semesters.
It allowed them to take more online courses than normally permitted by federal regulations to maintain their non-immigrant status as a response to the onset of the pandemic.
But they now have to return to their countries this fall 2020 semester if they part of the SEVP and have a full course load of online only classes.
But there are alternative steps to take to maintain their non-immigrant status according to an ICE news release Monday. This includes finding a school that will cater to in-person classes, a reduced course load, or appropriate medical leave.
Meanwhile, students enrolled in schools or programs that are fully online for the fall semester will not be issued visas by the U.S. Department of State.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection will also not permit them to enter the United States.
