The Trump administration has cancelled a policy that would have banned foreign students from staying in the US if they take online-only classes for the fall semester.
The decision came after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced the policy on July 6, under which international students would not be allowed to stay in or come to the country if their schools operate online due to the pandemic.
The policy caused a string of lawsuits (诉讼) brought by universities and a group of 17 states. Harvard University, with overseas students making up more than 20 percent of the student body, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ( MIT), whose foreign undergraduates make up nearly 30 percent of enrollment, were the first to file suit.
The institutions claim the regulation is “arbitrary and capricious(任性的)”—arguing that the agency is not considering the health of students, faculty and staff members—and has not taken into account the “reality” of the pandemic continuing.
“President Trump’s arbitrary actions put the health and safety of our students and communities across the country at risk,” said Xavier Becerra, California attorney general( 检察长), in a Twitter post following the announcement of the rescission(废除). California is among the 17 states that filed suit against the policy.
On July 2, the American Council on Education (ACE) and 38 other groups wrote to the US State Department and the Department of Homeland Security, seeking flexibility into the next academic year.
But four days later, ICE reversed the relaxed regulation, requiring foreign students to transfer to institutions that offer some in-person instruction—or leave the US.
“International students are an extraordinary benefit not just to American higher education but to our entire nation, resulting in a wealth of new ideas, cultural connections, cutting-edge technology, and life-saving medical advances, including in the fight against COVID-19,” said Mitchell, ACE president.
He also noted that the economic benefit that comes with the roughly 1 million international students in the US is also immense, bringing about $ 41 billion and resulting in more than 450,000 US jobs.
4. Which issued a policy that forbade some foreign students to stay in the USA?
A.ACE. | B.Facebook. | C.ICE. | D.MIT. |
5. How did California attorney general like the former policy of the Trump administration?
A.Positive. | B.Tolerant. | C.Carefree. | D.Negative. |
6. What does the underlined word “immense” in the last paragraph mean?
A.Extremely great. | B.Not ordinary or usual. |
C.Uncertain and feeling doubt. | D.Having features that are the same. |
7. What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Trump’s regulation is arbitrary and capricious |
B.Trump administration drops foreign student visa rule |
C.ACE tries to seek flexibility into next academic year |
D.Foreign students in US have to take online-only classes |