Hundreds of Intl students in US ordered to ‘self-deport’ for alleged ‘campus activism’: Report
Washington, D.C.: Hundreds of international students in the United States have reportedly received emails from the US Department of State ordering them to "self-deport" due to their alleged involvement in "campus activism”.
They were ordered to leave the country not just for allegedly participating in protests on American university campuses, but also for allegedly sharing or liking posts deemed ‘anti-national,” as reported by The Times of India on Saturday.
Immigration attorneys confirmed the development with TOI and added that Indian students may also be among those who received the email.
The US state department’s email cited by news outlet did not provide details about why the action was taken. The emails told students that “additional information became available after your visa was issued” and therefore, the study permit was being revoked.
It also warned that remaining in the US without lawful immigration status could lead to fines, detention, deportation, or ineligibility for future US visas.
The visas were reportedly revoked amid heightened scrutiny of foreign students by the Donald Trump administration, following pro-Palestine protests at college campuses across the US.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
