With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Trump Administration Nixes Plan To Strip International Students Of Visas
(Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
()
The Trump administration told a federal judge today it will withdraw a plan to strip visas from international students who are unable to enroll in in-person college classes this fall.
The news reverberated in Southern California, where many college campuses joined lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security after its now-rescinded policy was announced last week. The policy had required international students to take at least one in-person class. Students in colleges and universities who have switched to online-only instruction because of the coronavirus faced expulsion from the U.S.
Tens of thousands of international students attend colleges and universities in Southern California -- USC alone enrolls nearly 12,000 students, with thousands more at UCLA and other schools. California’s community colleges enroll nearly 22,000 international students, most of them in Southern California.
“We are pleased with the change in direction,” said Eloy Ortiz Oakley, the chancellor of California’s 115 community colleges.
Support for LAist comes from
The college system joined a lawsuit filed against the Trump administration by California Attorney General Xavier Becerra.
Despite the news, Oakley said he’s not ready to withdraw from the lawsuit:
“We've seen over the last three years, many changes in direction in this administration … we're waiting to see what they do next.”
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily coronavirus newsletter. To support our nonprofit public service journalism: Donate now.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Doctors say administrator directives allow immigration agents to interfere in medical decisions and compromise medical care. -
The Palisades Fire erupted on Jan. 7 and went on to kill 12 people and destroy more than 6,800 homes and buildings. -
People moving to Los Angeles are regularly baffled by the region’s refrigerator-less apartments. They’ll soon be a thing of the past. -
Experts say students shouldn't readily forgo federal aid. But a California-only program may be a good alternative in some cases. -
Distrito Catorce’s Guillermo Piñon says the team no longer reflects his community. A new mural will honor local leaders instead. -
The program is for customers in communities that may not be able to afford turf removal or water-saving upgrades.
Best of LAist