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ASU pursuing legal action in support of international students

The statement comes after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security changed exchange-student policies that made it easier to deport international students.
President Michael Crow

ARIZONA, USA — The president of Arizona State University, Michael Crow, released a statement on Monday saying that the university is pursuing legal actions to support its international students.

The statement comes a week after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made changes to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program, which now requires international students who are not attending in-person courses to return to their home country.

"We believe this directive runs contrary to our nation’s ideas and our institutional commitments to enhancing access to education and global engagement," Crow said in the statement.

The president detailed the legal action the university is taking, including:

  • ASU's participation in the MIT/Harvard lawsuit that was filed against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in federal district court.
  • The university being one plaintiff, including 20 other western schools, in the lawsuit that was filed Monday, July 13 in federal district court.
  • ASU joining in a letter to House and Senate leadership, calling on Congress to urge the Department of Homeland Security to withdraw the new guidance.

"There is no actual indicator, no measurement of economic change that says that international students and college graduate immigrants weaken the American economy in any way, or eliminate or reduce opportunity for Americans," Crow said.

Crow added that the university will continue to oppose any effort to "remove these talented, skilled and generous individuals from America’s economic and cultural landscape."

You can read the president's entire statement here.

Following last week's announcement by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security of changes to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) that would require international students not attending in-person higher education courses to return to their home country, Arizona State University immediately voiced opposition.

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