By Jasper Ward
WASHINGTON, Aug 18 (Reuters) – A coalition of unions and advocacy groups sued the federal government on Tuesday seeking to block a rule that would limit how long foreign students and journalists can remain in the U.S. without applying for extensions.
The new rule from President Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security creates a fixed time period for F visas for international students, J visas that allow visitors on cultural exchange programs to work in the U.S., and I visas for members of the media. Those visas are currently available for the duration of the program or employment in the U.S.
Under the new regulations, set to take effect on September 15, the student and exchange visa periods would be no longer than four years. The visa for journalists, which currently can last years, would be up to 240 days or, in the case of Chinese nationals, 90 days.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the groups said the changes would be “catastrophic” for universities, international students and scholars and the U.S. NewsGuild-CWA President Jon Schleuss described it as an attack on journalists. The NewsGuild represents many U.S. journalists at Reuters.
“They will discourage foreign students and other nonimmigrants from coming to the United States, repelled by the intolerable prospect of losing lawful immigration status partway through their studies,” the groups said in the lawsuit.
“Students will lose opportunities, schools will lose talent, and the public will lose billions of dollars of economic contributions supported by one of the United States’ top exports: education.”
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson called the lawsuit “performative.”
“If the media really cared about legitimate international students, they would be thanking President Trump for cracking down on the rampant fraud to ensure only those truly intending to study in the United States are given the privilege,” the spokesperson said, without providing evidence for the alleged fraud.
(Reporting by Jasper Ward in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio)
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