UT Martin responds to ICE decision regarding international students

MARTIN, Tenn.– According to NAFSA: The Association for International Educators, almost 10,000 international students attend colleges in Tennessee.

A local university responds to a recent decision made by a federal agency that could impact these students.

“I haven’t talked specifically to the students, but I’ve heard second hand. Obviously, they’re very scared,” said Dr. Todd Winters, the Dean of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences, and the interim executive director of research outreach and economic development.

If universities switch to fully online programs due to COVID-19, thousands of international students across the country could be sent home.

“A lot of them are two or three years into their degree, and this would really mess that up,” Winters said.

The United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently announced changes to the Student and Exchange Visitors program, which involves international students studying in the United States.

The general rule is students with certain visas cannot take a full schedule of online classes and stay in the United States.

Currently, the program allows students to stay in the U.S. and take online courses for the spring and summer semesters due to the pandemic, but this doesn’t carry over to the upcoming academic year starting this fall.

“These are students that are already here. The number of new students coming in, because of COVID, has gone down significantly,” Winters said.

Students with certain visas can take hybrid classes, meaning some in-person classes and some online classes.

Winters says the university currently has plans to operate under a hybrid model when reopening.

“That allows the students to at least take some hybrid classes, which will count under this new mandate,” Winters said.

Although, if COVID-19 numbers get worse, it could change that plan.

Winters said international students leaving would impact the local economy.

“Each student brings in about $33,000 to the economy here in West Tennessee, and we’ve got 56 international undergraduate students here at UT Martin,” Winters said.

Winters advises you to contact your congressman or senator if you disagree with the policy.

To see the full response, visit UT Martin’s website.