Harvard/MIT Student Visa Case
Nota Bene Episode 77: Labor, Employment, and Immigration in a Pandemic World with Kelly Hensley, Denise Giraudo, and Greg Berk
Effective June 26, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has required U.S. consulates to expand social media vetting for all F, M, and J visa applicants (students and exchange visitors) before issuing visas allowing them to...more
On June 4, 2025, President Trump issued two separate proclamations limiting visa issuance and travel to the United States for the nationals of 19 countries. Long anticipated, the full suspension of entry and travel ban...more
Over the past month, the Trump administration has announced several changes impacting F-1 visa programs. F-1 visa interviews have been paused, visas have been purportedly cancelled, and some program certifications have been...more
The Trump Administration has announced a series of potential changes affecting student visas that could alter how US companies can recruit and retain foreign nationals, particularly those entering the workforce following...more
On May 27, 2025, the Department of State issued a cable instructing U.S. Embassies and Consulates to pause scheduling new visa appointments for foreign nationals seeking to obtain student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and...more
The last three months have been a rollercoaster ride for employers trying to determine whether certain employees will retain work authorization. The Trump administration is pushing for significant changes affecting employees...more
Over the past several months, international students in F-1 status have experienced heightened scrutiny. Increasing numbers of reports indicate that students are facing visa revocations and the termination of their records in...more
International students, who commonly have what is known as an F-1 visa, are authorized to enter the U.S. to pursue full-time academic degrees at accredited institutions, certified by the Student and Exchange Visitor Program...more
Travel Advisory - The Trump administration continues to change the immigration landscape. While it has not yet announced travel bans as it did early in President Trump’s first term, the U.S. Customs & Border Patrol (CBP)...more
As the second Trump administration takes office, we offer the following considerations for visa holders (F-1, H-1B, L-1, E-2, TN, and others) who are seeking to travel internationally....more
The new administration under President Donald Trump has moved quickly to reshape U.S. immigration policy. On Day 1, the president signed several executive orders that significantly alter prior policies, and these changes...more
It is that time of year again when employers have to decide who they are sponsoring for an H-1B visa....more
Some U.S. colleges and universities are advising international students to adjust their winter break travel plans to ensure they return to campus before President-elect Trump takes office on January 20. We’ll explain...more
Happy holidays and welcome to our final issue of The Academic Advisor for 2024. Thank you for engaging with us through the newsletter this year. With this publication, we strive to provide schools, colleges and...more
One of the simplest but most important steps that employers should take to minimize the workforce disruptions associated with the upcoming change in presidential administrations is to avoid international travel by certain...more
In this In the Public Interest podcast episode, WilmerHale co-host and Partner Brendan McGuire welcomes Lawrence Bacow, the 29th President of Harvard University, along with WilmerHale Partners Felicia Ellsworth and Seth...more
On November 2, 2020, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to effectively end the random H-1B visa lottery selection process used when U.S. Citizenship and Immigration...more
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has agreed to rescind a directive that barred foreign students, even during the COVID-19 pandemic, from taking only the online courses offered by their colleges and universities....more
On July 14, 2020, the Trump administration agreed to rescind a July 6, 2020, directive that planned to bar foreign students from the United States if their colleges canceled in-person instruction during the COVID-19 pandemic....more
The Trump administration, in response to a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as several other suits, agreed to rescind its surprise Immigration and Customs Enforcement...more
The Trump administration reversed a previous directive that would have barred students in F-1 and M-1 nonimmigrant status from remaining in the United States this fall while taking courses entirely online. Earlier this month,...more
On July 14, 2020, in response to a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has agreed to rescind a policy that would have barred...more
National universities and states across the country filed multiple federal lawsuits this week seeking to invalidate and enjoin implementation of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program’s (SEVP) Fall 2020 COVID-19 Guidance,...more
After facing a number of lawsuits filed by some U.S. universities and states, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has agreed to rescind the policy change announced July 6, 2020 that rolled back some of the temporary...more
In a July 6, 2020 directive that would seem to be completely untethered to public health, higher education, and economic considerations, the United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement [“ICE”] announced that it was...more