Immigration and International Students
Section 1 Content
The American
Council on Education (ACE) advocates for comprehensive immigration reform that
supports undocumented students who were brought to the United States as young
children and talented international students who would like to remain in the
United States following the completion of their studies—particularly those earning
science, technology, engineering, or mathematics degrees. ACE has supported the
Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act since it was
first introduced in 2001. The bill would provide qualified young immigrants
with a pathway to citizenship if they accomplish academic goals or serve in the
U.S. military. ACE and its member institutions also are strong proponents of
safe, secure, and sustainable internationalization. ACE advocates for policies
that uplift open and collaborative international exchange.
Joint Statement Supporting Safe, Secure, and Sustainable Internationalization
Statement from ACE and its counterparts from Australia, Canada, Germany, the UK, and New Zealand outlining the organizations' plans to cooperatively promote safe and secure internationalization.
Comments to USCIS on Proposed Fee Increases
Comments from ACE, on behalf of 20 other organizations, to USCIS opposing proposed increases to benefit request fees that would adversely affect international students and skilled workers at colleges and universities.
Letter Urging 117th Congress to Protect Dreamers Before Adjourning
Letter from ACE and other higher education associations to congressional leaders, encouraging them to pass legislation to protect Dreamers and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in the lame-duck session that ends next month.
Letter in Support of the Senator Paul Simon Study Abroad Program Act
ACE, on behalf of 14 other higher education associations, sent this letter to Senators Dick Durbin and Roger Wicker in support of their newly reintroduced bill to strengthen programs that expand study abroad opportunities to a broader range of students.
Letter to Senate Judiciary Subcommittee for Hearing on Immigration and Higher Education
Testimony for the record to the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety for the June 14 hearing on “Strengthening our Workforce and Economy through Higher Education and Immigration.”
Students of Higher Education Today
Today’s college students are increasingly more diverse. Understanding the population of higher education, including age, race or ethnicity, and institution type attended, is important for improving postsecondary access and helping students succeed.
Comments to the State Department on Proposed Visa Fee Increases
Comments in response the State Department notice of proposed rulemaking regarding proposed adjustments to the fees for processing several nonimmigrant visa applications, including F-1
student visas and J-1 exchange visitors.
Letter to State and DHS Requesting Support for Ukrainian Students and Scholars
Letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting flexibility and support for Ukrainian students and scholars currently in the United States, and for students and scholars seeking to leave Ukraine during the cu...
Comments on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Draft Rule
From ACE and 45 other higher education associations to the Department of Homeland Security in response to the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals published in September 2021.
Request for Visa Flexibility for Afghan Students and Scholars
Letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken asking for flexibility in the F-1 and J-1 visa process for students and scholars who have been displaced by the current crisis in Afghanistan.
Comments on Proposed Rulemaking for Public Charge
Comments to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in response to Department of Homeland Security's Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on developing a new proposal for the public charge rule.
Flexibility Needed for International Students and Scholars Under New Travel Policy
Letter to the White House coordinator of the COVID-19 response and the CDC urging flexibility on vaccines for international students and scholars under the Biden administration's new travel policy that goes into effect in November 2021.
Resource Kit: Hosting Afghan Students and Scholars
This resource kit includes a checklist of steps to ensure that necessary structures and support networks are in place to welcome Afghan students and scholars, along with key questions to help institutions assess their options and readiness to host.
Letter to Congress About Support for Afghan Students and Scholars
Letter from ACE and other higher education associations to leaders in the House and Senate requesting specific policies and funding to support Afghan students and scholars displaced by the current crisis in their country.
Letter to Congress Urging Support for Legislation to Protect DACA Recipients and Other Dreamers
ACE and other associations urge Congress to permanently protect DACA recipients and Dreamers following the Texas court decision that found the Obama administration acted illegally in establishing DACA through executive action.
Letter to State Department on NIE Travel Restrictions
ACE and other associations request clarification on the.national interest exemption for students and other academics from countries under current COVID-19 travel restrictions.
Letter to State Department on Presidential Proclamation Suspending Entry of Students and Researchers From China
As the start of the fall semester approaches these students and their sponsoring U.S. colleges and universities are becoming increasingly concerned that a broad application of Presidential Proclamation 10043 is causing unnecessary delays.
Comments to USCIS on Reducing Administrative Burdens for Foreign Citizens
Comments to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in response to request for information on on how the agency can reduce administrative and other barriers and burdens within its regulations and policies.
Talking Points on the Safeguarding American Innovation Act
The bill includes several problematic provisions that would expand the State Department's authority to deny visas and create new requirements for the sponsors of J-1 visas. It would also lower the current Sec. 117 reporting threshold to $50,000, from $...
Memo on the Safeguarding American Innovation Act
Analysis of provisions in the Safeguarding American Innovation Act that are problematic for the higher education and research communities.
International Exchanges in a Post Pandemic World
An ebook with six chapters takes a close look at the current state of international exchanges and make some predictions about their future after the pandemic.
dotEDU Live: New Rules from ED, Culture War Rhetoric Ramps Up, the End of the COVID Emergency, More
In this live episode, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer take audience questions on a range of topics, from the Education Department moving quickly on new regulations to the House hearing on the “crisis” in American education to ChatGPT.
Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on Afghan Government Banning Women from Higher Education
We condemn in the strongest possible terms the decision by the government of Afghanistan to ban women from studying at all public and private universities.
States Step in as Federal Action on Dreamers Goes Nowhere
Political activist Tyler Montague and ACE’s Derrick Anderson visit the podcast to talk about Arizona’s newly passed Proposition 308, which gives in-state tuition for non-citizen residents of the state.
ACE, Higher Ed Groups: Pass Legislation Now to Protect Dreamers
ACE and over 60 other higher education associations sent a letter Nov. 17 to House and Senate leaders urging them to make protecting Dreamers and the DACA program a priority, given recent court decisions declaring DACA illegal.
Appeals Court Says DACA Is Illegal but Keeps Program Alive
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled yesterday that the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was not lawful but preserved the district court’s stay, which permits current enrollees to continue renewing their status.
Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals DACA Ruling
We are dismayed that this ruling by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals continues to force hundreds of thousands of outstanding young Dreamers to live in fear and uncertainty.
Final DACA Regulations Released by Biden Administration
The Biden administration last week released the final version of regulations aiming to strengthen the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.
Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on Final DACA Regulations
We applaud this action by the Biden administration to preserve and fortify the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
DACA Is Now 10 Years Old. What Does the Future Hold?
June 15 marks 10 years since President Barack Obama announced an executive memorandum creating DACA, an initiative that has provided some protection and work authorization for over 800,000 undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children.
Congress Springs Forward and Passes Spending Bill; New Regulations Coming
ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle joins host Sarah Spreitzer to discuss Congress’s last-minute push to pass the FY 2022 omnibus spending package and what it means for higher education ED's final negotiated rulemaking session.
Biden Administration Extends Temporary Protected Status to Ukrainians in the U.S.
The Biden administration has announced that it will allow Ukrainians who are in the United States as of March 1 to remain in the country for 18 months under a designation known as Temporary Protected Status.
DHS, State Announce Regulatory Changes to Attract More International Students and Scholars
The White House has announced a number of positive changes to programs for international students and scholars in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
Biden Administration Revises Regulations to Ease Entry for International Students
In good news for international students, the Department of State announced before the holiday break that consular offices would have more flexibility in determining non-immigrant intent for F-1 and M-1 student visa applicants
Federal Government Extends I-9 Compliance Flexibility
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has granted an extension to April 30, 2022, of the COVID-19 related flexibilities related to Form I-9 compliance.
2021 in Higher Education Policy (A Good Year, Not a Great One)
ACE Senior Vice President Terry Hartle reviews the higher education policy successes and failures of 2021, and what we can expect from Congress and the administration in 2022.
ACE, 45 Other Groups Praise Biden Administration’s Effort to “Protect and Fortify” DACA
ACE and 45 other higher education associations have submitted sent comments to the Department of Homeland Security on the draft rules released in September to strengthen the Obama-era Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
End of Year Countdown: What’s on the Congressional Agenda for Students and Colleges
In this live conversation, hosts Jon Fansmith and Sarah Spreitzer discuss the status of the Build Back Better Act and more as Congress pushes toward the end of the year with a lengthy to-do list.
U.S. Higher Education Community Calls for a Return to Pre-COVID 19 International Student Enrollment Numbers
Higher education associations issued a statement urging the U.S. government to partner with the higher education community to develop and implement a national strategy to return international student enrollment and exchanges to pre-COVID 19 numbers.
Higher Education Organizations Call for Federal Support of International Students
ACE and seven other organizations issued a statement urging the federal government to engage in efforts with the higher education community to return international student enrollment to pre-pandemic numbers and support policies that encourage growth.
Higher Ed Waits for Congress to Act; ACE Takes Pulse of College Presidents
With the House heading toward a vote on the Biden administration’s domestic spending plan, the hosts talk about what is in the bill for higher education and speak with Morgan Taylor about ACE’s latest Pulse Point survey of college presidents.
Capitol Hill Fall Showdown: Will Higher Ed Get Left Behind?
he hosts look at what we know so far about the higher ed provisions in the budget reconciliation bill, the future of Public Service Loan Forgiveness, and the president's order mandating COVID-19 vaccinations for federal contractors.
Rail Content 1
States Step in as Federal Action on Dreamers Goes Nowhere
Learn about actions states are taking to help Dreamers on ACE’s December 8, 2022 dotEDU podcast.
Listen