Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr contributed to a fact sheet, “Proposed Regulation on the Change of Admission Period of F, J, and I Nonimmigrants from Duration of Status,” published by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. Steve was quoted recently in several media outlets:

  • USA Today, ” ‘You’re Not Wanted’: Trump’s Proposed College Student Visa Changes Worry International Students—Again.” Mr. Yale-Loehr said, “The overall tone of the proposed rules sends a chilling message to current and prospective international students that we are no longer a welcoming nation. It says we’re more focused on national security threats, and that we suspect they could be coming here to do harm rather than help the U.S. He said the proposed changes don’t necessarily come as a surprise: “This is part of a larger anti-immigrant trend coming from this administration.” He also noted that the SEVIS system is “cumbersome,” but it works: Universities are able to see which students are falling through the cracks. The proposed rule changes imply the existing system needs revamping, he said, “when colleges would tell you it’s working just fine.”
  • Voice of America, “Proposed U.S. Visa Changes Explained.” Mr. Yale-Loehr said the proposed rule states that international students currently in the United States would be able to remain under the pre-existing rules, not to exceed four years from the effective date of the final rule. He also said the rule could bar extensions for international students if the immigration agency decides that a visa holder is not making progress toward their degree. “The proposed rule would require most international students to finish their studies in four years, rather than however long it normally takes. For example, many PhD students normally take more than four years to get their degree,” he noted.
  • Inside Higher Ed, “Trump Administration Proposes Major Overhaul to Student Visa Rules.” Mr. Yale-Loehr said, “On the one hand, students and people advising international students and scholars in higher education should not panic—these are not immediate changes. On the other hand, if this rule does get finalized without any changes, it will be the biggest change in international student regulations in 20 years. Overall, the proposed rule sends a chilling message to prospective international students and makes the United States seem more unwelcoming—and this is in line with other things that the administration has done in other areas of immigration.”·
  • Cornell Daily Sun, “Cornell Law Professor Breaks Down ‘Broken’ Immigration System Under Trump Administration.” Almost 800 people tuned in recently to hear Mr. Yale-Loehr break down the current administration’s rising restrictions against immigration. The event, “Our Broken Immigration System: and How to Fix It,” discussed the workings of the United States immigration system and possible solutions to existing problems.
  • Univision, “El gobierno de Trump propone reducir el tiempo para pedir asilo de un año a solo 15 días” (“Trump Administration Proposes to Reduce the Time to Seek Asylum From One Year to Just 15 Days”). “This new proposed rule will radically restrict the ability of people fleeing persecution to obtain asylum in the United States,” Mr. Yale-Loehr warned. “The rule would also allow immigration judges to deny asylum applications without a hearing if they lack certain evidence. This would particularly harm applicants without a lawyer. This proposed rule is an anti-immigrant’s dream. It would gut the U.S. asylum system and ultimately very few people would be able to get it.”