Harvard & MIT sue today in federal court to overturn the stunning policy on international students the Trump administration announced Monday.
ICE says any foreign student enrolled at a US university doing mostly online instruction this fall must return to their home country.
ICE says any foreign student enrolled at a US university doing mostly online instruction this fall must return to their home country.
2/ The policy had no detail, but basically threatens with deportation all undergrad & graduate students studying at US universities.
MIT said Tuesday that most undergraduates would use online learning from home. Priority in the fall to seniors & those needing to be on campus.
MIT said Tuesday that most undergraduates would use online learning from home. Priority in the fall to seniors & those needing to be on campus.
3/ Harvard said Monday that all teaching would be online, except for classes that cannot be taught remotely, and that priority would be given in the fall to freshmen, and those needing to be on campus.
4/ MIT has 4,000 int'l students—10% of undergrads, 40% of grad students.
Harvard has 5,000 int'l students—12% of undergrads, 32% of grad students.
Effectively, at just those 2 universities, ICE ordered 9,000 students to go home.
(With no flights, how do they get home?)
Harvard has 5,000 int'l students—12% of undergrads, 32% of grad students.
Effectively, at just those 2 universities, ICE ordered 9,000 students to go home.
(With no flights, how do they get home?)
5/ There are all kinds of reasons that ordering those students home makes no sense.
Many will not be able to access sufficient internet to attend Zoom classes.
For many, those classes will be happening in the middle of the night, home-country time.
Many will not be able to access sufficient internet to attend Zoom classes.
For many, those classes will be happening in the middle of the night, home-country time.
6/ Many students from countries like Russia and China will not be able to access internet resources from universities like Harvard & MIT that would be blocked, because of their content.
In China, for instance, all Google apps are blocked: G-mail, Google Docs, YouTube.
In China, for instance, all Google apps are blocked: G-mail, Google Docs, YouTube.
7/ But also: Why would the US order those students home? They're here to learn at great US universities. They pay tuition, they bring energy, insight, diversity — and they often stay on to do pioneering research and found companies.
What's the point of ordering them home?
What's the point of ordering them home?
8/ And the ICE order came Monday — after dozens and dozens of colleges & universities had planned their fall operations and announced them.
Those plans might have looked different with warning.
What's going on?
Those plans might have looked different with warning.
What's going on?
9/ In today's lawsuit, Harvard & MIT say:
'By all appearances, ICE’s decision reflects an effort by the federal government to force universities to reopen in-person classes…'
See full passage highlight below:
'By all appearances, ICE’s decision reflects an effort by the federal government to force universities to reopen in-person classes…'
See full passage highlight below:
10/ The point: says the Harvard / MIT lawsuit:
'The effect—and perhaps even the goal—is to create as much chaos for universities and international students as possible.'
Create as much chaos as possible.
Here's the lawsuit itself:
orgchart.mit.edu/sites/default/…
'The effect—and perhaps even the goal—is to create as much chaos for universities and international students as possible.'
Create as much chaos as possible.
Here's the lawsuit itself:
orgchart.mit.edu/sites/default/…
11/ Harvard President Lawrence Bacow was blunt, even angry in an email to Harvard community:
'The order came down without notice—its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness.'
. . .
'We believe that the ICE order is bad public policy, and we believe that it is illegal.'
'The order came down without notice—its cruelty surpassed only by its recklessness.'
. . .
'We believe that the ICE order is bad public policy, and we believe that it is illegal.'
12/ Bacow, con't:
'For many of our international students, studying in the United States and studying at Harvard is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
'These students are *our* students, and they enrich the learning environment for all.'
...>
'For many of our international students, studying in the United States and studying at Harvard is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.
'These students are *our* students, and they enrich the learning environment for all.'
...>
13/ Bacow, con't:
'We will not stand by to see our international students’ dreams extinguished by a deeply misguided order.
'We owe it to them to stand up and to fight—and we will.'
Bacow's full statement below:
harvard.edu/president/news…
'We will not stand by to see our international students’ dreams extinguished by a deeply misguided order.
'We owe it to them to stand up and to fight—and we will.'
Bacow's full statement below:
harvard.edu/president/news…
14/ The suit argues, on behalf of colleges & universities & international students nationwide, that Monday's ICE rule violates the administrative procedures act — that the rule wasn't properly considered or issued.
That's the argument that won at the Supreme Court on DACA.
That's the argument that won at the Supreme Court on DACA.
15/ And yes, colleges & universities have a huge educational, research & economic stake in this.
International undergrads often (or mostly) pay full price, supporting the economics of universities for US undergrads.
International grad students do lots of teaching & research.
International undergrads often (or mostly) pay full price, supporting the economics of universities for US undergrads.
International grad students do lots of teaching & research.
16/ But what's wrong with that?
US colleges & universities, from Florida to Washington state, from Bowdoin in ME to UC San Diego in CA — they're a crown jewel of 21st century America.
They power innovation, the economy, and they are one of the few tools for opening opportunity.
US colleges & universities, from Florida to Washington state, from Bowdoin in ME to UC San Diego in CA — they're a crown jewel of 21st century America.
They power innovation, the economy, and they are one of the few tools for opening opportunity.
17/ International students benefit from that, but they also support it and energize it.
Here's @thecrimson story on this morning's lawsuit.
thecrimson.com/article/2020/7…
Here's @thecrimson story on this morning's lawsuit.
thecrimson.com/article/2020/7…
