Statement on new federal guidance on international students

July 10, 2020

This message is sent on behalf of URI Vice Provost for Global Initiatives
Gifty Ako-Adounvo.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued new guidance this week that restricts international students from returning to or remaining in the United States if they are enrolled in institutions that are delivering only online instruction for fall 2020 or if students choose only online classes.

At institutions that are adopting a hybrid model of instruction (as we are here at URI), international students can enroll in in-person classes as well as in one or more online courses towards meeting their full-time registration requirement, but they cannot register for ONLY online classes if they are physically present in the U.S.

If enacted, the new guidance would force international students at URI to leave the U.S. if the University is forced to switch to a fully online format prior to the end of the semester due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

We strongly oppose this new decision as international students were not required to immediately leave the U.S. at the outset of the pandemic – and the same Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) provided exemptions. In fact, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had made it clear when the exemption to the Rule was issued at the outset of the pandemic, that the exemption would be in effect “for the duration of the emergency.”

The University supports MIT and Harvard’s legal action against DHS and ICE to halt the new guidance issued by DHS. We urge ICE to reverse course on its own, or failing that, the Complaint for Declaratory and Injunctive Relief as well as the temporary restraining order requested in the MIT and Harvard lawsuit be granted.  

URI has 365 international undergraduate and graduate students who may be negatively impacted.  The majority of our normally enrolled international graduate students are teaching and research assistants and enrich the community by providing cross-cultural perspectives as well as valuable educational support.

The University continues to closely monitor the evolving situation with regard to the status of international students, as well as the many developments to the COVID-19 pandemic. We will continue to update you via our website and with direct communications.