Latest news with #J-1
Axios
a day ago
- Business
- Axios
Trump's student visa pause threatens restaurant staffing
Since reopening in 2014, Brennan's Restaurant in the French Quarter has struggled to stay fully staffed — but general manager Christian Pendleton says they've gotten closer in recent years thanks to overseas recruiting. Why it matters: Now, that's in jeopardy as the Trump administration cracks down on the student visas that Brennan's and others in the hospitality industry use to fill their ranks. Catch up quick: Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a directive this week ordering U.S. embassies to pause student visa applications, Axios' Jason Lalljee reports. The Trump administration is also considering requiring a review of visa applicants' social media. State of play: At Brennan's, which needs about 250 people to operate, the restaurant hires staff as interns through culinary and hospitality schools in the students' home countries. Once here, they work through a yearlong track either in front-of-house hospitality or in the kitchen, owner Ralph Brennan tells Axios New Orleans. The students, Brennan said, earn the same wages and benefits as their local counterparts. How it works: The visas that interns for Brennan's and other hospitality industry employers use fall under the J-1 category, which is impacted by the pause. F-1 visas are for those enrolled in academic programs, such as at colleges and universities, and J-1 visas are for those enrolled in specific educational exchange programs. What they're saying:"We were worried about places that could take students just to use them as cheap labor, but we don't feel that way," said Princes Arevalo, a previous Brennan's exchange staffer, in a 2016 conversation with The Times-Picayune's Ian McNulty. "We feel lucky to be here, because they have a program and a plan for us." Brennan declined to connect Axios New Orleans with a current student out of concern for their visa status. Flashback: Soon after the restaurant's 2014 reopening, Pendleton went to Brennan with an idea to explore hiring students from overseas. "Ralph was apprehensive," Pendleton said during a media event this week. "He wanted Americans to have these jobs, especially New Orleanians." But, eventually, as hiring remained difficult, Brennan relented, telling him to "give it a shot," Pendleton recalled. Pendleton hit the road to interview students interested in learning high-end hospitality in the Southern U.S. He has since made near-annual recruiting trips. The first group of students came from the Philippines. Soon enough, others followed from Botswana, Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe and South Africa, especially. "The first year … we interviewed like 600 kids," Pendleton said, noting that the hiring source has been especially valuable since the coronavirus pandemic. Since then, the interns have become a unique part of Brennan's staff as they experience life in New Orleans and exchange cultural experiences — especially food — with their new colleagues. By the numbers: Today, about 10% of Brennan's staff are J-1 visa holders, Brennan says, which is the most the government allows. If their ability to continue the program disappears, Brennan says, "it will have an impact." "It won't be crushing," he clarifies, "but I hope it doesn't [disappear] because it's been a very successful program for us." What we're watching: It's not clear when the Trump administration will lift its pause on visa application interviews. "I don't know what [the post-pause] process will be, but we've had no trouble with any of these individuals because they're here to learn," Brennan said. "They ask a lot of questions, they work really hard, they want to learn and take their skills back to their home country."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge to block Trump admin's Harvard foreign students ban
A federal judge in Boston said Thursday that she plans to issue a preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from revoking Harvard University's certification to host foreign students. Judge Allison D. Burroughs – who was appointed by former President Barack Obama – already granted Harvard University a temporary restraining order last week, preventing the government from revoking the Ivy League school's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The program permits the university to host international students with F-1 or J-1 visas to study in the U.S. Thursday's hearing centered around the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) doubling down in a notice Wednesday night on the administration's intent to withdraw Harvard's certification. Burroughs said the temporary restraining order would remain in place for now while both parties confer and submit either a joint proposed preliminary injunction order or individual proposed orders for the judge to consider. After then, Burroughs said she would issue a final preliminary injunction order, but the "status quo" will remain as the process is ongoing. Trump Admin Asking Federal Agencies To Cancel Remaining Harvard Contracts Read On The Fox News App On Wednesday, Justice Department lawyers submitted to the docket a letter by Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons addressed to Harvard's leadership. Lyons listed several "compliance issues," citing the university's alleged failure to follow reporting requirements, alleged failure to "maintain a campus environment free of violence and antisemitism" and "practices with foreign entities raising national security concerns." The letter says a joint-government task force found that Harvard "has failed to confront pervasive race discrimination and anti-Semitic harassment plaguing its campus." Lyons says evidence obtained by DHS shows "Jewish students on campus were subject to pervasive insults, physical assault, and intimidation, with no meaningful response from Harvard University's leadership." "Meanwhile, pro-Hamas student groups that promoted antisemitism after the October 7 attacks remained recognized and funded," Lyons wrote. The letter says DHS also obtained evidence that "creates serious concerns that Harvard University has coordinated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and other foreign entities adverse to national security." Since January 2020, Harvard has received $151 million from foreign governments – making up more than 13% of the total $1.1 billion received from foreign donors over the same period, according to the filing. Trump Accuses Harvard Of Being 'Very Slow' To Turn Over Foreign Student Info The letter alleges that Harvard hosted and trained members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a "CCP paramilitary group complicit in the Uyghur genocide." Lyons said the university did so even after the group's 2020 designation on the U.S. Treasury's Specially Designated Nationals Lists, "with engagements continuing as recently as 2024." DHS also claimed Harvard University researchers "collaborated with China-based academics on projects funded by an Iranian government agent and partnered with Chinese universities tied to military advancements, including aerospace and optics research, using U.S. Department of Defense funds." The letter says Harvard also "partnered with individuals linked to China's defense-industrial base, including conducting robotics research with military applications." "The above evidence creates serious concerns that Harvard University has collaborated with the CCP and other foreign adversaries," Lyons wrote. DHS said Harvard has 30 calendar days to explain why the school's certification should not be withdrawn despite the cited evidence. "Providing materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent information may subject you to criminal prosecution," Lyons wrote. In its lawsuit, Harvard said the revocation would impact more than 7,000 visa holders – more than a quarter of its student body. About 18% of Harvard's total international student population last year was Chinese, according to reports. Lawyers representing Harvard said in Thursday's hearing that international students are "terrified" and are "facing real harm in real time." This is a developing story. Check back for article source: Judge to block Trump admin's Harvard foreign students ban
DW
2 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Trump's visa maneuver threatens Harvard students from India – DW – 05/29/2025
International students are caught in the middle of the Trump administration's dispute with Harvard. DW spoke with Harvard students from India about a prevailing feeling of "fear and anxiety" on campus. The Trump administration's recent revocation of Harvard's student visa certification has left the elite university's international scholars wondering what the future holds. Nearly 800 students from India are enrolled at Harvard. Parthiv Patel,* a 25-year-old predoctoral fellow at Harvard Business School, said he has hardly slept since the visa revocation was announced last week. "There is anxiety and fear amongst the international students. We do not know who turn to and what lies in store. You can understand the concerns," Patel told DW. He added along with losing his visa status, the Trump administration's threatened funding cuts could jeopardize his research. "I am navigating an uncertain future. My research is tied to Harvard's resources — access to datasets, my advisor's mentorship, and the collective environment here," he said. "If funding gets cut and international students are pushed out, what's left?" The revocation of Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) means the university can no longer issue or sponsor F-1 or J-1 visas, which are required for international students to study legally in the US. Harvard students fear deportation for international peers To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video According to Harvard University, this move affects more than 7,000 international students, most of them in graduate programs. International students with an Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT, which allows post-graduation work authorization for up to three years, face additional complications. Transferring to another institution could automatically terminate their OPT work authorization and disrupt their ability to work legally in the US. Although a federal judge in Boston issued a temporary restraining order on May 23, blocking the revocation pending further hearings, the looming threat of deportation or forced transfers continues to weigh heavily on students. An 'emotional toll' Ananya Shukla, a public policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School, faces the possibility of having to transfer to other educational institutions or risk losing her legal status to remain in the US. "I came here to build a future, but now I'm just trying to hold on to what I've got," Shukla told DW. "I keep thinking, what if I have to transfer? Will my credits even count? Will I get a visa for another school? It's like my entire future is on hold," she added. "Not only are we left in limbo, our parents are anxious when we can't predict what can happen. It is an incredible emotional toll," Shukla said. Many students to whom DW reached out were hesitant to speak on the phone or online due to fears of being monitored, potentially leading to disciplinary actions and further loss of opportunities. Harvard fights back The dispute between Harvard and the DHS hinges on the department's request to access student records that includes data on disciplinary history, involvement in violence or threats, and participation in protests. Harvard said the action is unlawful and undermines the school's research mission. Last week, Harvard spokesperson Jason A Newton called the DHS's move "unlawful" and wrote that Harvard was "fully committed" to enrolling international students. "This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard's academic and research mission," he wrote in a statement. Students on Harvard's campus protest Trump's crackdown on international students Image: Rick Friedman/AFP US shutting the door for international students On Tuesday, the Trump administration further ordered US embassies around the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas as it prepares to expand social media vetting of such applicants. Indian students represent the largest cohort of international students at US universities, with over 331,000 currently enrolled at various higher education institutions, according to the State Department. Sandeep Sharma, the founder of the Mumbai-based "NextGen Education India," which has helped place Indian students abroad and provided career guidance, said Trump administration's crackdown has created a climate of fear and uncertainty, potentially deterring future international students from choosing US institutions. "The students are in deep shock and depressed. The recent developments are a reminder that even the best-laid plans can be vulnerable to politics. But students are resilient, and as a community, we must ensure their dreams do not end at a policy wall," Sharma told DW. Future of thousands of foreign Harvard students at stake To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video *The names of all students quoted in this article have been changed upon request to protect privacy Edited by: Wesley Rahn
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Yahoo
I'm American. My Boyfriend's Not. Trump's Immigration Crackdown Could Force Us Apart.
Last August, I packed up a 10-foot U-Haul, leaving behind my comfortable college town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, ready to start graduate school in New York City. When I moved to New York, I was only a year out from ending a long-term relationship with my high school sweetheart, so I planned to take my dating life slow. I hoped I'd go on a few dates. But I didn't expect to fall in love. Until I met my boyfriend — a Fulbright scholar on a student visa. We met organically at a graduate student social event outside of a bar in Greenwich Village last August. Friendly coffee meetups turned into dinners in Clinton Hill and walks along the Brooklyn Bridge. Until one night, after a first date filled with ferry rides and skyline views, he asked me to be his girlfriend at 11:59 p.m. in the middle of Times Square. When we first started going out last October, we discussed what a future might look like for us. Fulbright requires students to return to their home countries for two years after the completion of their program. We have talked about how we might navigate that time apart, but mainly we stay focused on the guaranteed time we have together until he graduates next spring. Our experiences as graduate students living in New York have revolved around each other. We've attended Broadway shows, Carnegie Hall performances and visited museums together. We've taken the Amtrak train to different cities, like Boston and Washington, D.C. We can agree that this bustling city would feel a little less full without each other. But this guaranteed time, the year and a half we have left while my boyfriend is on a J-1 student visa, has started to feel less guaranteed. The Trump administration's federal funding freeze led to delayed or partial stipends for Fulbright students earlier this year, creating uncertainty as to whether these payments would resume at all. My boyfriend is also from a country that the Trump administration has considered restricting in the latest round of proposed travel bans — so there is some anxiety about whether he can safely travel between the U.S. and his home country. In light of recent immigration crackdowns, U.S. universities like Columbia University and Cornell University released guidance advising international students to postpone international travel plans over spring break. This month marks almost 10 months since he's seen his parents and siblings. There's a plane ticket to his hometown burning a hole in his email inbox. For months he has agonized over whether it is safe to go, consulting with friends, family and immigration lawyers. 'I just want to see my family,' he says. If my boyfriend chooses to travel and isn't allowed back into New York, he'll lose the prestigious Fulbright scholarship he spent over a year applying for. He'll lose all his progress on the degree he's been working toward for almost a year. All those hours spent studying in his room and at the library will be wasted. He'll have nothing to show for it. If he isn't allowed back into New York, we might lose each other, too. But I can't tell him not to go. With my mother a one-hour plane ride from me in North Carolina, and my dad a three-hour train ride away in Rhode Island, I don't know what it's like to go without seeing my family for months on end. As much as I fear what may await him at the U.S. border, I understand that for him — someone with a marginalized identity — the stakes reach far beyond our relationship. It's a choice between family and his future. Even though he is here legally and abides by the law, my boyfriend lives with the constant fear of being sent home. This fear isn't imaginary — but created by the Trump administration's aggressive revoking of several student visas at universities across the nation, like North Carolina State University and Columbia. The administration also recently blocked Harvard University's ability to enroll international students. While the Harvard ban has been temporarily halted by a federal judge, my boyfriend would say that all of the back-and-forth has only made his decision harder. He wishes there was a definitive answer — something that would guarantee he would either have safe travels home or that he should stay put in the U.S. As I watch him agonize over daily news push notifications, I wish there were a clear answer, too. Studying in the U.S. was supposed to be freeing, but instead it has made my boyfriend feel trapped. He spent his entire life idealizing the image of life in America. Now he wonders if it was truly worth all that he gave up. 'When you're in a place, and they keep telling you, 'We don't want you,' eventually you start to believe no amount of fighting will make you belong,' he told me on a recent FaceTime call. It hurts to see my country do this to him. Like him, I feel trapped by Trump's deportation push. I've spent hours worrying about what may happen if he chooses to visit home. I've prayed a million prayers asking that he is able to travel back and forth safely. I've tried to imagine what my life would be like if he never came back to me. International students bring with them a diverse set of perspectives and cultural traditions that American students can learn from. Meeting my boyfriend has introduced me to a world of culture I wouldn't have found without him. Being in spaces where I am the only American at the table has sometimes made me uncomfortable, but it has forced me to recognize — and grow from — that discomfort, making me a more empathetic human being. I can confidently say I engage with the world around me differently now than I did less than a year ago. That's why Trump's crackdown on international students is so alarming. With more than 1 million international students attending U.S. colleges and universities each year, efforts to expunge these students come not only at a price to our nation's economy — international students contributed nearly $44 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023-2024 academic year — but also carry a number of other risks. With the majority of international students pursuing STEM-related degrees, we risk losing important research developments while simultaneously shrinking our worldviews and reinforcing a climate of xenophobia. For my boyfriend and I, the administration's crackdown sometimes feels personal — but it's about so much more than my relationship. I don't know if my boyfriend will choose to use his plane ticket home. If he does, I have to hope his valid documents will allow him to pass through customs and that he isn't questioned simply because of his identity. I have to hope that he will come back to me. Until then, I will cling to every present moment we have, praying our clock doesn't run out before it's time. Do you have a compelling personal story you'd like to see published on HuffPost? Find out what we're looking for here and send us a pitch at pitch@
DW
2 days ago
- Politics
- DW
Indian Harvard students in limbo amid Trump visa crackdown – DW – 05/29/2025
International students are being caught in the middle of the Trump administration's dispute with Harvard. DW spoke with Harvard students from India about a prevailing feeling of "fear and anxiety" on campus. The Trump administration's recent revocation of Harvard's student visa certification has left the elite university's international student body wondering what the future holds. Nearly 800 students from India are currently enrolled at Harvard. Parthiv Patel,* a 25-year-old predoctoral fellow at Harvard Business School, said he has hardly slept since the visa revocation was announced last week. "There is anxiety and fear amongst the international students. We do not know who turn to and what lies in store. You can understand the concerns," Patel told DW. He added along with losing his visa status, the Trump administration's threatened funding cuts could jeopardize his research. "I am navigating an uncertain future. My research is tied to Harvard's resources — access to datasets, my advisor's mentorship, and the collective environment here," he said. "If funding gets cut and international students are pushed out, what's left?" The revocation of Harvard's Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification by the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) means the university can no longer issue or sponsor F-1 or J-1 visas, which are required for international students to study legally in the US. Harvard students fear deportation for international peers To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video According to Harvard University, this move affects more than 7,000 international students, most of them in graduate programs. International students with an Optional Practical Training (OPT) or STEM OPT, which allows post-graduation work authorization for up to three years, face additional complications. Transferring to another institution could automatically terminate their OPT work authorization and disrupt their ability to work legally in the US. Although a federal judge in Boston issued a temporary restraining order on May 23, blocking the revocation pending further hearings, the looming threat of deportation or forced transfers continues to weigh heavily on students. An 'emotional toll' Ananya Shukla, a public policy student at the Harvard Kennedy School, faces the possibility of having to transfer to other educational institutions or risk losing her legal status to remain in the US. "I came here to build a future, but now I'm just trying to hold on to what I've got," Shukla told DW. "I keep thinking, what if I have to transfer? Will my credits even count? Will I get a visa for another school? It's like my entire future is on hold," she added. "Not only are we left in limbo, our parents are anxious when we can't predict what can happen. It is an incredible emotional toll," Shukla said. Many students to whom DW reached out were hesitant to speak on the phone or online due to fears of being monitored, potentially leading to disciplinary actions and further loss of opportunities. Harvard fights back The dispute between Harvard and the DHS hinges on the department's request to access student records that includes data on disciplinary history, involvement in violence or threats, and participation in protests. Harvard said the action is unlawful and undermines the school's research mission. Last week, Harvard spokesperson Jason A Newton called the DHS's move "unlawful" and wrote that Harvard was "fully committed" to enrolling international students. "This retaliatory action threatens serious harm to the Harvard community and our country, and undermines Harvard's academic and research mission," he wrote in a statement. Students on Harvard's campus protest Trump's crackdown on international students Image: Rick Friedman/AFP US shutting the door for international students On Tuesday, the Trump administration further ordered US embassies around the world to stop scheduling appointments for student visas as it prepares to expand social media vetting of such applicants. Indian students represent the largest cohort of international students at US universities, with over 331,000 currently enrolled at various higher education institutions, according to the State Department. Sandeep Sharma, the founder of the Mumbai-based "NextGen Education India," which has helped place Indian students abroad and provided career guidance, said Trump administration's crackdown has created a climate of fear and uncertainty, potentially deterring future international students from choosing US institutions. "The students are in deep shock and depressed. The recent developments are a reminder that even the best-laid plans can be vulnerable to politics. But students are resilient, and as a community, we must ensure their dreams do not end at a policy wall," Sharma told DW. Future of thousands of foreign Harvard students at stake To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video *The names of all students quoted in this article have been changed upon request to protect privacy Edited by: Wesley Rahn
