The Trump administration is now allowing international students to enter the US to attend colleges and universities even if all their courses for the fall 2020 semester are online, with the exception of first-year students. The administration rescinded a temporary rule that would have required international students to transfer or leave the country if their college or university held classes entirely online because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The rescission of the temporary rule comes after Harvard, MIT, and other colleges and universities filed suit, and university leaders, students, and educational advocates criticized the temporary rule noting that it would have jeopardized the health of students, teachers, and university staff and led to a potential dramatic loss of revenue for many educational institutions and the towns where they are located. US District Judge Allison Burroughs announced at the start of a hearing in Boston for the lawsuit filed by Harvard University and MIT that federal immigration authorities agreed to rescind the July 6 directive and “return to the status quo.” A lawyer representing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and US Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed the accuracy of Judge Burroughs comments.

International students and universities can now follow ICE’s March 13 directive instructing schools that existing limits on online education would be suspended “for the duration of the [coronavirus] emergency.” David Leebron, president of Rice University, speaking on CNN, said he's "delighted" at the decision. "We thought the original rules that were suggested were cruel and misguided and didn't serve our universities, didn't serve our students, and frankly didn't serve our country." L. Rafael Reif, president of MIT, pointed out “the important role international students play in our education, research, and innovation enterprises here in the United States. These students make us stronger, and we hurt ourselves when we alienate them.”