By Jhoana T. Merino-Martinez
News Editor
On Monday, July 6, the US Department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced a new policy stating that international students cannot stay in the United States if the university they are enrolled in is keeping virtual instruction for the fall semester.
This leaves many international students with the option of either leaving the US or risk being deported.
This sparked a backlash from several universities across the country, most notably from Harvard and M.I.T., who announced that they will hold their courses fully online this upcoming semester. The universities filed suit against the Trump administration in federal court, The New York Times reported.
President Christopher Capuano released a president’s update addressing the immigration policy on Thursday, July 9, via email, making FDU’s stance clear.
“Fairleigh Dickinson University, along with many other colleges and universities, objects strongly to the recent policy guidelines,” Capuano said.
Capuano also assured that, since FDU’s hybrid schedule employs a mix of both online and in-person classes, our university’s international community will not be directly affected by this shift in policy.
“Our plans would only change if required by governmental and health authorities, and if that decision is made, we will do everything we can to prioritize the safety and well-being of all our students,” Capuano said.
The email ended by referring international students who have any questions or concerns to the Assistant Director of International Student Services, Susan Cuffee, at Susan_Cuffee@fdu.edu.
Please follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Write to us at equinoxfdu@gmail.com.
