The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on Monday announced that foreign students pursuing degrees in America will need to leave the country or risk deportation if their universities switch to online-only classes during this fall pertaining to the September to December semester.
The decision will adversely impact many thousands of Indian students within the US.
It said that for the autumn 2020 semester students attending schools operating entirely online might not take a full online course load and remain within the US.
The new regulation drew widespread backlash with many taking to social media to vent their anger.
The American Council on Education (ACE), which represents university presidents, said the rules are "horrifying" and can end in confusion as schools search for ways to reopen safely.
"On its face, the guidance released by the ICE is horrifying. While we might welcome more clarity about international students studying within the us , this guidance raises more questions than it answers and unfortunately does more harm than good," ACE President Ted Mitchell said during a statement.
"Regrettably, this guidance provides confusion and complexity instead of certainty and clarity," Mitchell said.
Of particular concern may be a stipulation saying students won't be exempt from the principles albeit an epidemic forces their schools online during the autumn term. It's unclear what would happen if a student ended up therein scenario but faced travel restrictions from their home country, said Terry Hartle, the council's senior vice chairman .
"ICE is clearly creating an incentive for institutions to reopen, no matter whether or not the circumstances of the pandemic warrant it."
The rule applies to holders of F-1 and M-1 non-immigrant visas, which permit non-immigrant students to pursue academic and vocational coursework, respectively.
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