Allow International Students to stay in the U.S. even with institutions going online
Allow International Students to stay in the U.S. even with institutions going online
The Issue
Sign this petition to help International Students in the U.S. We are requesting the governing authorities to prevent International Students from being sent back to their home countries after Universities transition to Online Only due to COVID-19.
If educational institutions hosting international students go completely online (which they will because of all of our safety due to coronavirus) international students are REQUIRED to LEAVE the United States or risk being DEPORTED. The alternative is to transfer to a school that has in-person classes. The government is deciding to give the international students the option of either not only changing their entire plan for the fall semester and possibly entire school year but also complicating things such as housing leases and other law-bond contracts or risking exposure to corona virus by forcing them to attend in-person classes.
Here’s my story:
Dear friend,
I know this is a long message, but it’s important.
My name is Victor. I’m an international student who has been lawfully in the United States since 2014 (I was only 17yo). I’ve working tirelessly to earn a degree ever since. I’ve earned a Bachelor degree in English, Psychology and Emergency Administration. After many years of hard work, I got accepted into my dream program for Graduate School at the University of North Texas. I have worked my entire self off ever since the day I got to this country because I know that back in my dictator-ran communist/socialist home country, the life I’d be living is not humane. Just like millions of other international students, I have invested years, time, and hundreds of dollars in an education that will take me to the places I want to be. And I’ve sacrificed not being with my immediate family and friends for it. Is it worth it? Absolutely yes. Would I do it again? Yes. My time here isn’t done, I still got a whole lot of work cut out for me, a Masters degree waiting for me and after that a Doctoral degree.
Recent United States authorities have declared that if educational institutions hosting international students go completely online (which they will because of all of our safety due to coronavirus) international students are REQUIRED to LEAVE the United States or risk being DEPORTED. The alternative is to transfer to a school that has in-person classes. The government is deciding to give the international students the option of either not only changing their entire plan for the fall semester and possibly entire school year but also complicating things such as housing leases and other law-bond contracts or risking exposure to corona virus by forcing them to attend in-person classes.
I can’t emphasize how big of a slap on the face these news have been to me. It feels unjust and it makes me feel unwanted and worthless. I’m not sure about other international students, but if shipped back to my home country like this... without any warning or time to even react, I will face major consequences. One of them having to figure out a way to break my housing lease, another one having to quit my jobs, and the most scary one is having to put a hold on my studies because unfortunately I would not have a good enough internet connection in my home country to sustain online school in the U.S.
However, this is just my story. Think about all those millions of international students that make up 5.5% of the total higher education student population and how this affects them. Some of her may be in an even worse situation than myself. We are just like any other student and we are here for the same reason, to get an education and have a better life.
As a friend, neighbor, classmate, co-worker, or anything else me or any other international student might be to you, all I’m asking is that you help spread the word and sign this petition and this one on this link directly to the White House: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/allow-f-1-students-stay-us-through-fall-semester-if-instruction-online-due-pandemic
More information:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/ice-tells-foreign-students-leave-u-s-if-their-school-n1233026?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_np
6,220
The Issue
Sign this petition to help International Students in the U.S. We are requesting the governing authorities to prevent International Students from being sent back to their home countries after Universities transition to Online Only due to COVID-19.
If educational institutions hosting international students go completely online (which they will because of all of our safety due to coronavirus) international students are REQUIRED to LEAVE the United States or risk being DEPORTED. The alternative is to transfer to a school that has in-person classes. The government is deciding to give the international students the option of either not only changing their entire plan for the fall semester and possibly entire school year but also complicating things such as housing leases and other law-bond contracts or risking exposure to corona virus by forcing them to attend in-person classes.
Here’s my story:
Dear friend,
I know this is a long message, but it’s important.
My name is Victor. I’m an international student who has been lawfully in the United States since 2014 (I was only 17yo). I’ve working tirelessly to earn a degree ever since. I’ve earned a Bachelor degree in English, Psychology and Emergency Administration. After many years of hard work, I got accepted into my dream program for Graduate School at the University of North Texas. I have worked my entire self off ever since the day I got to this country because I know that back in my dictator-ran communist/socialist home country, the life I’d be living is not humane. Just like millions of other international students, I have invested years, time, and hundreds of dollars in an education that will take me to the places I want to be. And I’ve sacrificed not being with my immediate family and friends for it. Is it worth it? Absolutely yes. Would I do it again? Yes. My time here isn’t done, I still got a whole lot of work cut out for me, a Masters degree waiting for me and after that a Doctoral degree.
Recent United States authorities have declared that if educational institutions hosting international students go completely online (which they will because of all of our safety due to coronavirus) international students are REQUIRED to LEAVE the United States or risk being DEPORTED. The alternative is to transfer to a school that has in-person classes. The government is deciding to give the international students the option of either not only changing their entire plan for the fall semester and possibly entire school year but also complicating things such as housing leases and other law-bond contracts or risking exposure to corona virus by forcing them to attend in-person classes.
I can’t emphasize how big of a slap on the face these news have been to me. It feels unjust and it makes me feel unwanted and worthless. I’m not sure about other international students, but if shipped back to my home country like this... without any warning or time to even react, I will face major consequences. One of them having to figure out a way to break my housing lease, another one having to quit my jobs, and the most scary one is having to put a hold on my studies because unfortunately I would not have a good enough internet connection in my home country to sustain online school in the U.S.
However, this is just my story. Think about all those millions of international students that make up 5.5% of the total higher education student population and how this affects them. Some of her may be in an even worse situation than myself. We are just like any other student and we are here for the same reason, to get an education and have a better life.
As a friend, neighbor, classmate, co-worker, or anything else me or any other international student might be to you, all I’m asking is that you help spread the word and sign this petition and this one on this link directly to the White House: https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/allow-f-1-students-stay-us-through-fall-semester-if-instruction-online-due-pandemic
More information:
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/immigration/ice-tells-foreign-students-leave-u-s-if-their-school-n1233026?cid=sm_npd_nn_fb_np
6,220
The Decision Makers
Petition Updates
Share this petition
Petition created on July 6, 2020