On July 6, 2020, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) "modified temporary exemptions for non-immigrant or international students who are taking online classes for the fall 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic." These changes force international students on F-1 and M-1 visas to depart the United States if their schools are completely online for the fall quarter or semester, and even if the schools go online in the middle of their quarter or semester. The only alternatives proposed by the DHS was to either transfer to a school with in-person classes or depart the US. These changes impacts the international students at DU and other institutions directly or in-directly on their academics, economic conditions, physical and mental health in the middle of global pandemic.

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to the DU administration and Chancellor Haefner for their swift and decisive response in opposing the recently released guidelines for immigration status for international students and their commitment to protecting international students in this extremely stressful time. However, given the circumstances as well as sparse communication from the DU administration, we feel that international students are not able to feel safe and secure with anxiety and uncertainty looming in their minds. We need our administration, more than ever, working for the security of our international students, and try their best to make sure none is unwillingly required to leave the country. International students, at this point, should be communicated frequently and transparently about what's being done and DU's further plans to relieve their mental stress about this whole situation.

Thus, we demand that DU commits to these agendas and provides a response by 25th of July, 2020.