Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to temporarily delay the recent immigration rules on international students studying in the United States.

The new U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) rules could get international students out of the U.S. if their own schools will do online classes.

In their case filed before the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, the schools said ICE's new rule was just a way to force schools to reopen in-person classes.

Nine percent of the schools in the U.S. are going to do online teaching due to the present pandemic.

Harvard plans to do online classes in the fall semester. It also plans to ask up to 40 percent of students back on campus.

MIT will do both on-campus and online classes for the 2020-21 school year.

Reopening of Schools

U.S. President Donald Trump said he wants to get schools reopen despite the pandemic.

They are going to force governors and everyone else for schools to open in the fall semester, Trump said.

Harvard said it was planning online classes. Trump said he thinks it is ridiculous and an easy way out.

Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said on Tuesday that schools must be "fully operational" even during a health crisis. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released rules for reopening of schools.

This includes spaced out schedules, spread out desks, and meals eaten in classrooms instead of the cafeteria.

DeVos said she was disappointed in schools that did not try to find solutions for the opening of classes. 

Other U.S. Colleges and Universities

Princeton University President Christopher Eisgruber said the school would also take lawful action over the new ICE rule.

Yale President Peter Salovey said the university will try to understand the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule. Salovey said he is disappointed and troubled with the DHS's decision.

"The potential disruption in the education of our international students will undercut the strength of American higher education, which draws brilliant individuals from around the world to our country.," he was quoted.

University of Southern California president Carol Folt said she supports the actions of Harvard and MIT.

"We are also working with our Congressional delegation and fellow universities on legislative and other solutions to this terribly misguided decision.  We will send out more information soon," Folt tweeted.

ICE said the ruling wants to increase the flexibility of students to study while reducing the transmission of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). 

This could be done by not allowing entry on students who do not need to be in classes in person.

White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said on Wednesday  that you do not get a visa for taking online classes.

McEnany responded to the two schools' lawsuit, saying that maybe the case should be from students who have to pay full tuition without in-person classes to attend.

The University of Alabama system said the school will reopen in the fall semester. 

The school will require to put a contract-tracing app on students' smartphones, wearing masks, and regular health checks.

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