Latest news with #People'sFilibuster
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Legal status restored but uncertainty remains for 6 MTSU international students
Middle Tennessee State University's six international students who had visas revoked recently under President Donald Trump's administration regained legal yet uncertain status, MTSU confirmed. "As of today, the six MTSU students have had their status restored, and the university has been notifying those students," university spokesman Jimmy Hart told The Daily News Journal April 29. Hart, however, said conditions remain unclear if the six international students can attend classes and participate in campus activities because "legal status and visas are two different things." Immigration issue: MTSU student president, US Rep. DesJarlais speak out about 6 student visas being revoked Students' legal status to be in the U.S. is tracked in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or (SEVIS) the web-based system used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to maintain information on nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors. "If their visas are actually revoked, then they are not in the country legally, and thus risk arrest and deportation if they haven't left the country," Hart said. "If they've returned to their home country, they need an active visa to return. But we don't have access to their visa status." Protesting president: Demonstrate for Democracy plans 'People's Filibuster' against Trump administration May 1-2 in Murfreesboro Universities have access to the SEVIS system to keep them updated on students' legal status to be in the U.S. The Commercial Appeal in Memphis included a further explanation of the issue from Casey Bryant, the executive director of Advocates for Immigrant Rights, a Memphis-based nonprofit law firm that represents immigrants. The government's termination of SEVIS records isn't a formal revocation of a visa, but it does remove the mechanism by which the school honors a visa, Bryant said in an April 18 article in The Commercial Appeal. The University of Memphis confirmed that one of five students whose SEVIS records were previously terminated had been reinstated, according to a university spokesperson, the Commercial Appeal also reported. The Knoxville News Sentinel reported on April 25 that the SEVIS statuses of nine international students at UT-Knoxville had been restored after the Trump administration terminated them without warning earlier in April like others around the country. Death of student: Crowd gathers at MTSU vigil to remember student; Counseling director offers support A USA Today article reported April 25 a Trump administration attorney said the federal government would reverse course to restore the terminated immigration statuses for thousands of international students who were stripped of their visas this spring. The Justice Department announced the decision in a filing on April 25 in U.S. district court in Massachusetts, according to the article. "Mark Sauter, an assistant U.S. attorney in Massachusetts, submitted a document that said Immigration and Customs Enforcement was developing a policy to terminate SEVIS records," the article said. "But the registrations will remain active or be reactivated until that system is developed." The previous visa terminations sparked more than 100 lawsuits from students who feared immediate deportation, the article said. The Association of International Educators (also known as NAFSA), tallied roughly 1,400 revocations, USA Today previously reported in April. A visa allows entry into a country whereas status describes their legal standing while here, said Hart, the MTSU spokesmans. "Any student that has returned to their home country will require an active visa before they are eligible for reentry into the United States, but we are not aware of the current state of these student visas," Hart said. Hart said professors are helping the six students. "Their professors worked directly with some of the affected students, but the university is not always aware of what accommodations were made for individual students," Hart said. "We do know that some professors allowed their students to complete work remotely." MTSU Constitution Day: Former VP Mike Pence defends certifying Biden's victory in 2020 Legal status in the U.S. should mean international students can attend classes and participate in campus activities, MTSU Provost Mark Byrnes suggested to The Daily News Journal April 30. Byrnes on April 10 informed the MTSU Student Government Association (SGA) leaders about the "sketchy" information available from the federal government involving the impacted six international students, according to The Tennessean. 'These are international students whose visas have been revoked, so they are supposed to be going home, and if they don't, then they're in violation," Byrnes told the SGA leaders. Another demonstration opposing Trump: Protesters of president plan 'Stop the Coup March for Democracy' April 5 in Murfreesboro Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@ To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Legal status of 6 MTSU international students restored by Trump admin
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Demonstrate for Democracy plans 'People's Filibuster' against Trump admin in Murfreesboro
Demonstrate for Democracy organizers will hold a 25-hour "People's Filibuster" to protest President Donald Trump's administration in Murfreesboro May 1. The event will start at 7 a.m. May 1 and end by 8 a.m. May 2 on the public sidewalk along Medical Center Parkway, organizer Lora Hortert of Murfreesboro said. The demonstrators will be near the Murfreesboro office of Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais located in the Fountains at Gateway office, residential, restaurant and retail development, Hortert said. "We strongly feel this president is violating the U.S. Constitution," Hortert said. 'I think it's asinine': Federal job cuts concern VA Murfreesboro patient, park service visitor at Stones River National Battlefield and cemetery The demonstrators have concerns about the constitutionality of deportations of immigrants who are "entitled to due process," Hortert said. Courts should determine if immigrants can be lawfully removed or permitted to stay legally in the United States of America, suggested Hortert, who has worked as a 17-year paralegal and earned a bachelor's degree in political science at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. Previous demonstration: Protesters of Trump plan Murfreesboro 'Stop the Coup March for Democracy' April 5 The demonstrators also want DesJarlais, serving District 4 including Rutherford County, and other members of Congress to use their separation of powers authority to challenge the president. "They have the power to check him," Hortert said. The Daily News Journal reached out to DeJarlais office's spokesman Alex Swisher Monday for comment. DesJarlais offered a recent comment to The Daily News Journal pertaining to the Trump administration decision to revoke visas of six MTSU international students. 'President Trump is fulfilling his promise to fix our broken immigration system," DesJarlais said. "There are a myriad of reasons why a student visa may be canceled, and the American people hired President Trump to enforce the law − something the previous administration did not do.' Immigration issues: MTSU student body president, US Rep. DesJarlais speak out about 6 student visas being revoked Participants of the People's Filibuster will start with a couple of short speeches, Hortert said, before reading out loud the nation's founding documents. Readings will include the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the Constitution, the oath of office of Congress members, and the Federalist Papers that are essays written by three of the leaders who joined others in crafting the Constitution: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. The idea for the People's Filibuster came from the recent 25-hour filibuster of U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, in protest of Trump's administration, Hortert said. MTSU Constitution Day: Former VP Mike Pence defends certifying Biden's victory in 2020 Hortert has about 30 participants committed to read in the People's Filibuster so far. "We're hoping to get up to 50," Hortert said. Those interested can email demonstratedemocracy@ or call Hortert at 615-995-9845. She and her 22-year-old daughter, Rachel Hortert, are the main organizers of the People's Filibuster. The organizers also have a Demonstrate for Democracy Facebook page for more information. This is a developing story. Free speech scholar Nadine Strossen: Rutherford County school board violates law by removing Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "Beloved,' and other books Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@ To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Demonstrators plan 'People's Filibuster' against Trump in Murfreesboro
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Demonstrate for Democracy plans 'People's Filibuster' against Trump admin in Murfreesboro
Demonstrate for Democracy organizers will hold a 25-hour "People's Filibuster" to protest President Donald Trump's administration in Murfreesboro May 1. The event will start at 7 a.m. May 1 and end by 8 a.m. May 2 on the public sidewalk along Medical Center Parkway, organizer Lora Hortert of Murfreesboro said. The demonstrators will be near the Murfreesboro office of Republican U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais located in the Fountains at Gateway office, residential, restaurant and retail development, Hortert said. "We strongly feel this president is violating the U.S. Constitution," Hortert said. 'I think it's asinine': Federal job cuts concern VA Murfreesboro patient, park service visitor at Stones River National Battlefield and cemetery The demonstrators have concerns about the constitutionality of deportations of immigrants who are "entitled to due process," Hortert said. Courts should determine if immigrants can be lawfully removed or permitted to stay legally in the United States of America, suggested Hortert, who has worked as a 17-year paralegal and earned a bachelor's degree in political science at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro. Previous demonstration: Protesters of Trump plan Murfreesboro 'Stop the Coup March for Democracy' April 5 The demonstrators also want DesJarlais, serving District 4 including Rutherford County, and other members of Congress to use their separation of powers authority to challenge the president. "They have the power to check him," Hortert said. The Daily News Journal reached out to DeJarlais office's spokesman Alex Swisher Monday for comment. DesJarlais offered a recent comment to The Daily News Journal pertaining to the Trump administration decision to revoke visas of six MTSU international students. 'President Trump is fulfilling his promise to fix our broken immigration system," DesJarlais said. "There are a myriad of reasons why a student visa may be canceled, and the American people hired President Trump to enforce the law − something the previous administration did not do.' Immigration issues: MTSU student body president, US Rep. DesJarlais speak out about 6 student visas being revoked Participants of the People's Filibuster will start with a couple of short speeches, Hortert said, before reading out loud the nation's founding documents. Readings will include the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Bill of Rights and other amendments to the Constitution, the oath of office of Congress members, and the Federalist Papers that are essays written by three of the leaders who joined others in crafting the Constitution: James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and John Jay. The idea for the People's Filibuster came from the recent 25-hour filibuster of U.S. Sen. Cory Booker, a Democrat from New Jersey, in protest of Trump's administration, Hortert said. MTSU Constitution Day: Former VP Mike Pence defends certifying Biden's victory in 2020 Hortert has about 30 participants committed to read in the People's Filibuster so far. "We're hoping to get up to 50," Hortert said. Those interested can email demonstratedemocracy@ or call Hortert at 615-995-9845. She and her 22-year-old daughter, Rachel Hortert, are the main organizers of the People's Filibuster. The organizers also have a Demonstrate for Democracy Facebook page for more information. This is a developing story. Free speech scholar Nadine Strossen: Rutherford County school board violates law by removing Pulitzer Prize winning novel, "Beloved,' and other books Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@ To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription. This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Demonstrators plan 'People's Filibuster' against Trump in Murfreesboro
