Higher education coalition sues Trump administration over student visa limit

A coalition of higher education associations has sued the federal government over a new rule limiting how long international students can remain in the United States.

The Department of Homeland Security rule — scheduled to take effect on Sept. 15 — replaces the longstanding “Duration of Status” framework with fixed admission periods for F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and their dependents. The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration has argued that shortening the period would have a “catastrophic” effect on higher education.

In a statement to The Daily Pennsylvanian, Penn International Student and Scholar Services Director Rudie Altamirano wrote that the center is “closely monitoring both the litigation and any subsequent guidance from the federal government,” adding that it would be “premature” to “speculate on how the court may rule.”

Altamirano encouraged students to “rely on official ISSS communications and government sources rather than make immigration or academic decisions based solely on preliminary reports or assumptions about the litigation.”

“Individuals with questions about their specific circumstances should contact ISSS directly, since the implications may vary depending on their immigration status and academic or employment situation,” he wrote.