NAU Joins 19 Other Universities In A Lawsuit Against The Federal Government Over ICE

The Trump Administration has rescinded a rule that would have required international students to transfer schools or go home if the school the attended went to online only. Northern Arizona University joined 19 other schools Monday, including Arizona State and the University of Arizona, in a federal lawsuit in hopes to stop the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s possible attempts to revoke visas for international students enrolled at universities if the schools go to fully online instruction this fall. NAU released a statement Monday saying the “attempt to force colleges and universities to stay open, regardless of changes in the pandemic’s course or severity, is reckless and removes our authority to act in accordance with what is best for the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and campus communities.” NAU is holding in-person classes on its campus this fall and are providing students with choices of how to pursue their studies, among them the opportunity to use remote access. A decision was made last week by the Trump Administration that if colleges and universities went to full online study, international students with F1 and M1 visas would have to return to their home countries, or transfer to a school that has in-class study. There are around 13-hundred international students who enroll at NAU each year.