Harvard and MIT file lawsuit against ICE rule on international students
Washington: Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have filed a lawsuit against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) latest rule that bars international students from staying in the United States unless they attend at least one in-person course.
In the lawsuit filed in the District Court of Boston on Wednesday, Harvard and MIT sought a temporary order and preliminary and permanent injunctive relief to bar the Department of Homeland Security and ICE from enforcing federal guidelines barring international students attending colleges and universities offering only online courses from staying in the country.
In the lawsuit, we ask the court to prevent ICE and DHS from enforcing the new guidance and to declare it unlawful, MIT President Rafael Reif said.
The announcement disrupts our international students' lives and jeopardises their academic and research pursuits. ICE is unable to offer the most basic answers about how its policy will be interpreted or implemented, he said.
The guidance comes after many US colleges and universities either released or are readying their final decisions for the fall semester, Reif said.
Their (international students) choices are either to transfer to another institution that provides in-person or hybrid (both in-person and online) instruction or to depart the country and risk not being able to return. Those students who fail to comply with this guidance may face deportation, said Harvard president Lawrence S Bacow.
The order came without notice and its cruelty is only surpassed by its recklessness, he said.
"It appears that it was designed purposefully to place pressure on colleges and universities to open their on-campus classrooms for in-person instruction this fall, without regard to concerns for the health and safety of students, instructors, and others, he alleged.
Harvard and MIT will pursue this case vigorously so that their international students continue their studies without the threat of deportation, Bacow said.
The lawsuit comes amidst a growing chorus from major universities, lawmakers and rights bodies, seeking reversal of the decision.
"Right now, America proudly hosts roughly 1.15 million international students who contribute approximately USD 41 billion to the US economy and add value to our communities," Congressman Vicente Gonzalez said.
There are more than 200,000 Indian students in the US contributing over USD7 billion to the American economy per annum.
"Denying visas and deporting students who are not attending class in-person, when there may not be any in-person classes to attend, is cruel, unwarranted, and un-American," Gonzalez said, urging the Trump Administration to reverse its order on international students.
Advocacy coalition National Alliance for Humanities also issued an action alert calling on the ICE to reverse this decision and urging Members of Congress to pressure the ICE.
Under the new decision, international students enrolled in programs that have shifted online for the Fall in order to protect the health of campus communities during the COVID-19 crisis may face immigration consequences including, but not limited to, the initiation of removal proceedings.
This is to the detriment of not just international students, but to everyone who benefits from their presence on campus, said the alliance.
Senator Angus King has written a letter to Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf to reverse the ICE order and allow international students to remain in America to learn.
With this decision, the ICE is forcing the hand of schools to resume in-person learning as a blanket policy, rather than understanding that each school faces different challenges and must respond accordingly, he said.
The decision by the ICE adds yet another challenge to schools across the country who are already seeking the best path forward while considering the continued spread of the coronavirus across the nation, to now worrying about students who may face deportation, he said.
Congressman Adam Smith said that international students contribute to the US and its economy and many can't go home due to COVID19.
The federal guidance from the ICE to force these students to leave the country, risking their health, hard work and education, runs counter to American values, he said.
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India's water will be now be utilised for the country: PM Modi
New Delhi, May 6 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi affirmed on Tuesday that India's water will no longer flow outside the country but will be utilised in the nation's interest, remarks which were clearly aimed at Pakistan following his government’s decision to put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Addressing the ABP Network's ‘India@2047’ Summit, Modi highlighted his government’s focus on interlinking of rivers, noting that water used to be a source of conflict among states, before hinting at India’s move against Pakistan as he cited ongoing discussion around water.
“Pahle Bharat ke haq ka pani bhi bahar ja raha tha. Ab Bharat ka pani Bharat ke haq mein bahega. Bharat ke haq mein rukega. Aur Bharat ke hee kaam aayega. (Earlier, the water which rightfully belonged to India was going outside the country. Now India's water will flow and stop in the country's interest, and will be used for India),” he said in Hindi as the audience cheered.
Modi, however, made no direct reference to Pakistan or any other comment on the rising tensions between the two countries following the terror strike that killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists.
Speaking about the finalisation of the India-UK free trade agreement, Modi said it is a historic day and this pact between two big and open market economies will mark a new chapter in the development of the two countries.
“This will boost economic activity in India and will open new ways and opportunities for Indian businesses and MSMEs,” he said, adding that it will help the youth.
The prime minister said India is not only carrying out reforms, but by actively engaging with the world, it is also making itself a vibrant trade and commerce hub.
“For taking big decisions and achieving objectives, it is important to give primacy to national interest and believe in the capability of the country,” he said.
The prime minister focused on the country’s growth and development under his government’s nearly 11 years of rule, saying it has served the poor and deprived sections of society while prioritising development as it has been solely driven by the interest of the country.
“We are moving from a GDP-centric approach to progress based on Gross Empowerment of People (GEP),” he said, citing a host of welfare schemes, including for housing and health insurance, for different sections of society.
His government has combined tradition with development and technology, he said, adding that if India tops in digital transactions, then it has also taken yoga and ayurveda to the world.
When people look at the country now, they can proudly say “democracy can deliver”, he said, adding that their trust was running low before his government took over as he slammed the previous regimes for being beholden to extraneous interests, including vote bank compulsions.
Referring to the new Waqf law, Modi said the need for the reforms was felt for decades but to satisfy a vote bank even this noble work was defamed.
“Now the amendments have been made which in the real sense will help poor Muslim mothers and sisters and poor Pasmanda Muslims,” he said, while also touching on his government’s decision to ban triple talaq.
It harmed innumerable Muslim women but was allowed to continue, he said.
In his address, he said the biggest dream of this changing India is to become ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047.
“The country has the capabilities, resources and the willpower for it,” he said.
“For decades, a counterstream prevailed in the country. There was a time when, before taking a big decision, it was thought - ‘what would the world think? Will we get votes or not? And decisions and big reforms languished due to such reasons,” Modi said, adding that a country does not move forward like this.
It advances when the basis of decisions is ‘Nation First’, he stressed.
In the last decade, India has moved forward with this mantra, and the results are there for all to see, he said.
“Our government has taken decisions which had been languishing and did not see the light of day due to a lack of political willpower,” he said.
Modi said direct benefit transfer weeded out 10 crore fake beneficiaries, saving Rs 3.5 lakh crore.
India, he noted, has begun doing well in sectors where it was not traditionally strong. He spoke about India’s rising defence exports, with over 100 countries being supplied with its defence products, and its emergence as an exporter of electronic products as well.
