OCA is Pleased with Successful Coalition Effort to Protect International Students

Washington, DC – OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates is relieved by the Trump Administration’s retraction of their new rules that would have deported international students taking online courses. This is a hard-fought coalition victory for immigrant communities, especially Asian immigrants who comprise roughly 75% of U.S. international students under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP). This retraction will remove unnecessary burdens on international students, allowing them to pursue their education safely and securely.

OCA has long advocated for Asian international students and immigrants in academia. As of this week, OCA was on the cusp of joining an amicus brief in the Harvard-MIT lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to fight for F-1 student visa holders to remain in the country. The lawsuit argued that the Administration did not provide “adequate justification” for the rule changes.

“Jeopardizing students’ immigration status during a worldwide pandemic is cruel: it unfairly forces young people to choose between health and education. No person should have to make that choice. We are glad to see the Trump Administration retract its original rules after a national outpouring of community support for immigrant students,” says Roland Hwang, Vice President of Public Affairs. “OCA pledges a continued fight for all immigrants’ access to a fair and nondiscriminatory visa system.”

OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates is a national civil rights organization dedicated to improving the social, political, and economic well-being of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs). 

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