The federal government has rescinded its new policy that would have forced international students to leave the U.S. amid the Covid-19 pandemic, according to U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs who was hearing the case in Boston, Massachusetts.
Universities, including Harvard and MIT in Massachusetts and the University of California system, were suing the federal government over the Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy before they reached an agreement.
“I have been informed by the parties that they have come to a resolution,” said the U.S. District judge. “The government has agreed to rescind the July 6, 2020 policy directive” and will “return to the status quo as established by the March 9, 2020 policy directive,” which allows international students to remain in the U.S. if they are enrolled at a U.S. institution that has moved all of its classes online.
It remains to be seen if new international students attending 100% virtual institutions will be refused visas or entry to the U.S.
