Video Snippet of DHS Acting Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli Speaking about DHS Operation OPTical Illusion targeting OPT violations

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement news release "ICE arrests 15 nonimmigrant students for OPT-related fraud" at https://www.ice.gov/news/releases/ice-arrests-15-nonimmigrant-students-opt-related-fraud

"One of the most un-American things I can think of... is an employer who's depriving qualified Americans of work while filling that job with a foreign national who doesn't qualify." - @HomelandKen

Find out more about @DHSgov's latest efforts to combat worker visa fraud: pic.twitter.com/zLedPoi9gb

— Chase Jennings (@SpoxDHS) October 21, 2020

New Department of Homeland Security Proposal Would Require International Students to Reapply for Permission to Remain in the U.S. Every Year

Just under three hours ago, a concerning article by Maria Sacchetti and Devlin Barrett entitled "Overseas students would face close scrutiny under proposal floated at DHS" posted to The Washington Post.

Senior officials at the Department of Homeland Security are floating a proposal that would require foreign students to reapply for permission to stay in the United States every year, a controversial move that would create new costs and paperwork for thousands of visa holders from China, India and other nations, according to two federal officials with direct knowledge of the discussions.

You can access The Washington Post article at http://wapo.st/2sJLKPe.

Recent Developments in the Sciences here in the U.S. Impacting International Study, Research and Collaboration

On May 11th, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the expansion to the list of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) designated degree programs for eligible international students for an Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension.  NAFSA: Association of International Educators has long advocated for this and released a press statement yesterday welcoming this new DHS action.  NAFSA Executive Director and CEO Marlene Johnson currently serves on the Homeland Security Academic Advisory Council (HSAAC).

Today, leaders from the inaugural Global Summit on Merit Review that was hosted by the National Science Foundation (NSF) released a set of merit review principles and established a Global Research Council.  According to the NSF press release on the Global Summit on Merit Review, "Heads of research councils from about 50 countries participated in the summit and joined the Global Research Council.  The merit review principles crafted by the summit leaders include expert assessment, transparency, impartiality, appropriateness, confidentiality, and integrity and ethical consideration.  NSF hosted members from G20/OECD (Organization for Equal Cooperation and Development) countries, which are typically most research intensive, and countries with emerging scientific enterprises, including those involved with the State Department Science Envoys program. The merit review process, as practiced by NSF and other leading funding agencies, is recognized as an essential tool for evaluating scientific research.  In releasing a set of common principles, the Summit participants identified best practices and standards that will cultivate multinational research cooperation among countries and across continents.

Photo credit:  Horia Varlan