Latest Updates
- SEVP Sends Notices to OPT Students Without Employer Information in SEVIS. May 16, 2025. NAFSA members reported that certain F-1 students on Optional Practical Training (OPT) received a letter from SEVP titled “Student and Exchange Visitor Program: Notice of Failure to Report Optional Practical Training Employer and Exceeding Permissible Period of Unemployment," advising the students that they’ve “been participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT) for more than 90 days but have not reported any employer information,” and that “If your SEVIS record is not updated within 15 days of the date of this notice, SEVP will set your SEVIS record to “terminated” to reflect the lack of employer information and the potential that you may have violated your status either by failing to timely report OPT employment or by exceeding the permissible period of unemployment while on OPT.” Read more on NAFSA's page.
- DOS Adds New Reporting Requirements to EVP Incident Reporting Rubric. On May 15, 2025, the Department of State (DOS) sent an alert to J-1 Exchange Visitor Program (EVP) Sponsors to inform them that DOS has revised its Incident Reporting Rubric for academic program sponsors by adding the following new incident reporting requirements: Proscribed Antisemitic Actions, Serious Violations of University Conduct Rules, and Terrorist Activity, Endorsing or Espousing Terrorism. See NAFSA's page.
- Executive Order 14295 of May 9, 2025: Increasing Efficiency at the Office of the Federal Register. EO on whitehouse.gov | Federal Register cite: 90 FR 20367 (May 14, 2025). Directs the Office of the Federal Register to streamline its publication process in support of the Administration’s deregulatory agenda.
- IMMpact Litigation Files Class Action Suit. On May 2, 2025, IMMpact Litigation filed a class action case in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. IMMpact Litigation is "a joint venture of the law firms Bless Litigation in Boston, Joseph & Hall in Denver, Kuck Baxter in Atlanta and Siskind Susser in Memphis." This action takes the form of a "second amended class action complaint" filed in the Jane Doe 1 et al v. Bondi et al, 1:25-cv-01998, (N.D. Ga.). More information, on NAFSA's page.
- Government Files "Policy Regarding Termination of Records" in Court Cases. On May 2, 2025, the Department of Justice filed an exhibit titled "Broadcast Message: SEVIS Notice-Policy Regarding Termination of Records," in one or more of the court cases challenging SEVIS terminations. Access the exhibit and some NAFSA observations on NAFSA's page.
Key Executive and Regulatory Actions
Government Funding, Staffing, and Operations
The president's draft fiscal 2026 "skinny" budget proposes a 93 percent reduction in funding for State Department Educational and Cultural Exchanges, effectively dismantling the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and its programs. Urge Congress to defend and fund federal international education and exchange programs.
Antisemitism Related
An April 9 DHS news release says that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services "will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests. This guidance is effective immediately."
Vetting and Enforcement
As of May 7, there have been more than 1,600 reports of international students and scholars either having their visa revoked and/or their record in SEVIS terminated, thereby jeopardizing their legal status in the United States. On April 28, 2025, 35 senators joined U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) in demanding clarity and transparency. If your senator(s) signed the letter, please thank them.
NAFSA Statements and Commentary
NAFSA Responds to State Department Reorganization
"We were encouraged to see that the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) was retained in the State Department reorganization, along with other offices that foster strategic U.S. engagement at the regional level. We remain concerned, however, about the future staffing and funding of the programs within them," said Fanta Aw, NAFSA executive director and CEO in a statement.
Congress Urged to Intervene on Behalf of International Students
NAFSA released initial findings from its collection of field reports on visa revocations and termination of SEVIS records and, with its partners in U.S. for Success Coalition, urged Congress to intervene as a matter of national interest.
NAFSA Urges Renewal of Government-Higher Education Partnership
On May 15, NAFSA joined a statement led by the American Council on Education and endorsed by 52 other organizations affirming the longstanding partnership between the federal government and higher education and urging the current administration reforge this partnership to advance shared national interests.
Related Resources
2025 Policy Digest
A chronological compilation of U.S. government policy and regulatory developments and related advocacy activities, updated on a monthly basis.
Connecting Our World
Connecting Our World is NAFSA's weekly newsletter that distills the top policy and regulatory developments affecting international education and identifies how members of the field can use their voice to take action in simple but meaningful ways.
Helpful Resources
Helpful resources from NAFSA and others on initiatives under the Second Trump Administration