Immigration-Related Actions Under the Second Trump Administration

This page highlights executive orders, policy, legislative and regulatory changes enacted by the second Trump administration that alter and affect visa or immigration processing for our international student and scholar community. The News sections is a chronological listing of important information or go to related links in the sidebar under Additional Resources. As always, we encourage members of our community to connect with a ISSO team member with any questions.

News

SEVP Warns Graduates on OPT About Exceeding Unemployment Limits

May 29th, 2025

A few recent BU graduates on post-completion OPT have reported receiving letters from the Department of Homeland Security about failing to report their employment information and exceeding allowable F-1 regulatory unemployment timeframes. The letters, sent directly to some graduates via email from SEVP (Student Exchange Visitor Program), asserted that the... More

US DOS Announces Additional Vetting of Visas for Chinese Students

May 29th, 2025

The US Department of State (DOS) has issued a press release stating they will work with the Department of Homeland Security to revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. DOS states they intend to revise visa criteria to... More

New Appointments Paused so DOS can Begin Screening Social Media

May 28th, 2025

Several media outlets are reporting that the US Department of State (DOS) has paused scheduling new visa interview appointments temporarily at consular posts to establish a new protocol to screen social media as part of the visa application review.  Outlets are citing an interagency cable signed by Secretary of State... More

All SEVIS Records Restored to Active

April 27th, 2025

Over the past few weeks, the ISSO team has been supporting international students and recent graduates with terminated SEVIS records and have connected impacted individuals with: designated BU school contacts for academic assistance, campus resources for wellness support, immigration attorneys for legal consultations, and/or information regarding low bono or pro... More

Reports of Visa Revocations & SEVIS Record Terminations

April 4th, 2025

Many of you are seeing the news about student visa revocations and high-profile student detentions around the US. Historically, the US Department of State would only revoke a student visa if a student were arrested or convicted of a crime in the United States. However, it appears the federal government... More

International Travel Risk Information Session

March 26th, 2025

Virtual Information Session International Travel Risks on Wednesday, March 26, 3 pm The session featured Elizabeth Goss, CEO and founding immigration attorney of Goss Associates, Stephen Kerr, Associate General Counsel in the BU Office of General Counsel and Jeanne Kelley, Managing Director of the BU ISSO, and covered the following topics: discussion... More

DHS Designates New Form for Registration and Fingerprinting

March 12th, 2025

Following the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) announcement that certain noncitizens in the United States must register and be fingerprinted, the agency released an interim final rule designating a new registration form, G-325R, for that purpose, effective April 11, 2025. According to DHS: Foreign nationals above the age of 14 who... More

USCIS Updates Alien Registration Instructions

February 26th, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is reinforcing the legal requirement for non-U.S. citizens to register with the U.S. government under Section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. 1302) in response to the recent Protecting the American People Against Invasion executive order issued... More

DOS Reduces Eligibility for Appointment Waivers for Visa Renewals

February 20th, 2025

The US Department of State has narrowed eligibility for a waiver of the visa interview requirement. A recent DOS announcement reinstates the statutory 12-month post-expiration period for visa renewal applicants. This means that students and scholars travelling to renew their nonimmigrant visa will be required to schedule and attend an... More

Back to Basics Reminders for Students

January 30th, 2025

Since taking office on January 20th, President Trump has signed a series of executive orders (EO), with more anticipated in the coming weeks. These measures, which aim to overhaul the U.S. immigration system, are poised to have consequences for undocumented immigrants, refugees and international travelers. Several EOs have focused on... More

Older