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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN IMMIGRATION LAW & REGULATIONS The events of September 11, 2001 have had a significant impact on the lives of all non-immigrant students in the US. Already we have witnessed the imposition of restrictions in several areas of immigration law that may impact negatively upon international students and international educational exchange. Regrettably, international students and scholars are being identified as a group that needs closer monitoring by federal authorities. The SEVIS system has been implemented by the US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) to monitor and track international students and scholars. Colleges and universities are required to report to US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) on the status and activities of all students and scholars to whom immigration documents have been issued. This has created an extremely burdensome additional workload for international services offices and will present new difficulties for students trying to comply with US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) regulations. A 1996 immigration law mandated implementation of the SEVIS (Student & Exchange Visitor Information System) program by January 1, 2003. Apart from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) regulations, (of which SEVIS is a component), a number of other pieces of federal legislation potentially impact upon non-immigrant students. Some aspects of the USA Patriot Act and the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act could affect non-immigrant students and visa applicants should expect greater scrutiny and potentially longer processing times for visa issuance. Civil libertarians are troubled by many aspects of the USA Patriot Act. The Act allows for “the detention and deportation of people engaging in innocent associational activities and protected speech, and will permit the indefinite detention of immigrants and non-citizens who are not terrorists” (Posted on AILA infonet, Doc. No. 21ip2001 (May 30, 2002). The Act allows the Attorney General to hold people in jail without charges, to subject individuals to immigration hearings that are closed to the public with no due process rights, to monitor conversations and communications between detainees and their lawyers and to hold people in custody even after an immigration judge has found them eligible for release. The Immigrants’ Center at City College, NAC building 1/206 phone 212 650-6620, (immicenter@yahoo.com) is a valuable resource for any CUNY student with immigration issues or questions. Mr. Gnoleba Seri J.D., who directs the Center, is a fully licensed immigration lawyer. The Immigrants’ Center provides expert, confidential immigration counseling to all members of the CUNY community
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE NEW FEDERAL SEVIS FEE!
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