Presidents’ Alliance Condemns Proposed H-1B Rule That Would Erode United States’ Attractiveness to International Students

PRESIDENTS’ ALLIANCE CONDEMNS PROPOSED H-1B RULE THAT WOULD ERODE UNITED STATES’ ATTRACTIVENESS TO INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
Proposed rule would further undermine international student recruitment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2020
Contact: Jose Magaña-Salgado (jose@presidentsalliance.org) 

Washington, D.C.—Today, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration condemned the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) proposed rule that would eliminate the H-1B lottery and replace it with an unlawful and ineffective wage-based framework. Under the new framework, the existing H-1B lottery would be replaced with a system that grants H-1B petitions based on the highest salary first–a dramatic change not supported by underlying law.

Miriam Feldblum, Executive Director, Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, stated: “The proposed rule is unsound policy, not supported by statute, and will serve only to further undermine the ability of our colleges and universities to recruit and retain international students. International students contribute intellectually, culturally, and economically to our campuses and communities, helping to spur innovation and job growth. Part of the attraction for international students to come study in the United States are the potential opportunities to then gain practical work experience in the United States. H-1B visas serve as a critical pathway for these students. The proposed rule will block these opportunities by imposing a system that grants H-1B petitions based on the highest salary first, locking out many new international graduates of U.S. colleges and universities. Our communities, economy, and country will lose, while other countries that facilitate policies for international students to stay and work will benefit. The Presidents’ Alliance will submit a comment in opposition, and we call on the DHS to withdraw the proposed rule.”

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The non-partisan, nonprofit Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration brings college and university presidents and chancellors together on the immigration issues that impact higher education. We work to advance just immigration policies and practices at the federal, state, and campus level that are consistent with our heritage as a ‘nation of immigrants’ and the academic values of equity and openness. The Alliance is composed of approximately 500 presidents and chancellors of public and private colleges and universities, representing over five million students in 42 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico.