U.S. abruptly drops new visa rules for international students
Facing widespread opposition led by Harvard and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the federal government on Tuesday abruptly dropped its plans to deport or deny entry to international students at U.S. colleges and universities offering virtual instruction only this fall. The announcement came during a brief hearing at Boston’s federal courthouse over a lawsuit the two schools filed last week to block the order, a move that drew support from colleges and universities, state and local governments, and the nation’s leading technology companies. “The directive had disrupted all of American higher education. I have heard from countless international students who said that the July 6 directive had put them at serious risk. These students — our students — can now rest easier and focus on their education, which is all they ever wanted to do,” Harvard President Larry Bacow wrote in an email to the University community. “While the government may attempt to...