CSU joins lawsuit against Trump Administration on international student directive
SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. -- Cal Poly joins other CSU's and community colleges in a lawsuit against the Trump Administration for their guidelines that may force international students out of the U.S. during online instruction on Friday.
This comes after the California State University Chancellor Timothy White announced the State of California is filing a lawsuit challenging "the Trump Administration’s unlawful policy that threatens to exacerbate the spread of COVID-19 and exile hundreds of thousands of college students studying in the United States through the Student and Exchange Visitor Program".
Cal Poly SLO President Jeffrey Armstrong gave the statement Friday morning.
   "I have been watching with concern the news about the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announcement of new guidelines for fall 2020 that could profoundly affect our international students, valued members of our Mustang family. I am writing to let you know that I understand that the announcement has caused a great deal of anxiety and uncertainty for our students, their families and all of us who support them. We stand in steadfast support of our international students and appreciate the deep concern expressed by so many.
   Yesterday it was announced that the CSU and California Community Colleges have joined California Attorney General Xavier Becerra in filing a lawsuit challenging the recent ICE policy guidance related to international students.
  As CSU Chancellor Timothy White aptly stated: "The California State University stands in the strongest opposition to the policy guidance issued Monday by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. It is a callous and inflexible policy that unfairly disrupts our more-than 10,300 international students' progress to a degree, unnecessarily placing them in an extremely difficult position. And it deprives all of our students - and the communities, state, and nation we serve - of the remarkable contributions of these international students. The CSU applauds the California Attorney General's decision to take strong action to oppose ICE's policy guidance, and we will fully support this effort."
 Further information and guidelines are forthcoming from the Chancellor's Office regarding how we can best support our international students. We recognize the urgency of the situation and will send out the information as soon as possible. We have a strong commitment to bring Cal Poly to the world and the world to Cal Poly, and will work to ensure a productive and educationally enriching fall for our international students."
Jeffrey D. Armstrong, President of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
California State University plans to release a statement later on Friday.
Previous coverage: Colleges, universities react to directive that may force international students to leave U.S.
To read the lawsuit against the Trump Administration, click here.
