Resources to Support International Students and Scholars from Countries Experiencing Violent Conflict and Humanitarian Crises

Policy Recommendations for USCIS: Supporting International Students and Scholars from Countries Experiencing Violent Conflict and Humanitarian Crises  – We offer the following recommendations to support international students and scholars from countries experiencing violent conflict and humanitarian crises. For international students and scholars, individual circumstances may favor Temporary Protected Status (TPS), Special Student Relief (SSR), or Severe Economic Hardship (SEH). Streamlining all three will allow students to make the best decision without feeling the need to double-file because of uncertainty on processing times. Also, students and scholars who can secure TPS, SSR or SEH may no longer feel pressured to apply for asylum—a benefit now at a time of record numbers of asylum applications and stress on pro bono resources. Moreover, streamlining could reduce processing times, thus saving both individuals and the government valuable resources. 

 

 

 

Policy Brief: Why Automatic Special Student Relief (SSR) Announcements Should Accompany TPS Country Designations – The announcement of Special Student Relief (SSR) by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) gives international students more flexibility related to their duration of status, course load, and employment eligibility in recognition of emergency circumstances occurring in their native countries.