CARBONDALE - SIU System President Dan Mahony, U.S. Republican Rep. Rodney Davis, and multiple others released comments today in favor of the federal government's decision Tuesday that changed its policy on international students.
President Trump's administration on Tuesday rescinded a policy that would have stripped visas from international students whose courses move exclusively online during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Mahony said on behalf of the Southern Illinois University System, he wanted to extend appreciation to leaders in our higher education community, advocacy organizations and elected officials at the state and federal level who successfully advocated for rescinding of the ICE directive that would have stifled the university's ability to provide full educational opportunities to our international students.
"Last spring, the SIU System welcomed over 1,200 international students to our campuses and over the majority of the life of our system, international students have provided an incredible richness that has added to both the academic and the cultural success of our campuses, state and nation," Mahony said. "Now was not the time to close our doors to those who contribute both academically and economically to our communities. We appreciate the efforts of all our elected officials who joined us in this effort."
The decision after the policy announcement last week sparked a flurry of litigation, including a joint suit by Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who joined 18 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit, along with the beginning of a suit brought by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), followed by California's public colleges among other challenges.
"Announcing this rule in the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic created additonal confusion and upheaval for students and universities already facing uncertainty caused by the pandemic," Attorney General Raoul said.
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