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Proposed Legislation Would Give Afghan Scholars Special Visa to US
A congressman from California has introduced legislation that would give Afghan Fulbright scholars special immigrant visas.
The legislation would automatically issue a special immigrant visa to any Afghan who lived in the United States as a Fulbright scholar and to their immediate family members to help them "escape persecution by the Taliban and relocate safely to the United States," according to a statement from the office of U.S. Representative John Garamendi, a Democrat.
"Fulbright Scholarships are one of the most vital U.S. cultural exchange programs that help to improve intercultural relations, diplomacy, and coordination between the United States and other countries," Garamendi's statement read.
"This is the right thing to do for our Afghan allies who stood with the United States against the Taliban and the terrorists responsible for the 9/11 attacks."
The proposed legislation is called the Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan Fulbright Scholars Act of 2021, or House Resolution 5482.
It would issue a special immigrant visa to any citizen or national of Afghanistan, and their legal spouse or children, selected on or after October 7, 2001, for the following State Department-sponsored educational and cultural exchange programs:
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Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs Exchange Programs, including the Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence Grant Program, the Fulbright Foreign Language Teaching Assistant Program the Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program.
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Any other similar educational or cultural exchange program administered by the State Department involving travel to the United States and spending significant time living, working or studying therein.
Last month, the Institute of International Education (IIE) announced plans to award scholarships to 10 former American University of Afghanistan (AUAF) students so they could "safely reconnect to their studies at a college campus abroad." AUAF was shut down by the Taliban-led government after the U.S. withdrew forces in mid-August.
IIE also announced other programs Afghan students could explore for financial assistance, including the Scholar Rescue Fund, which funds fellowships for "threatened and displaced" students at partnering colleges and universities around the globe. Eighteen emergency scholarships have been awarded, and future scholars are being identified.
Other programs available to help Afghan scholars and refugees are as follows:
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The Emergency Student Fund (ESF), which provides grants to international students enrolled at colleges and universities in the U.S. "when natural disasters, war or other crises in their home countries threaten their education," according to IIE. Since September 20, the ESF has funded 80 Afghan students on U.S. campuses who were experiencing financial difficulties.
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The Platform for Education in Emergencies Response, an online clearinghouse that connects refugees and displaced students with scholarships and online learning. Students from Afghanistan are eligible.
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The Artist Protection Fund (APF), which will award fellowships to two threatened Afghan artists from any field of practice and place them "at host institutions in safe countries where they can continue their work and plan for their futures."
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The Odyssey Scholarship, which was awarded to 10 Afghan students to allow them to study "in the safety of a college campus abroad." It enables "motivated and qualified refugees or displaced persons to pursue fully funded undergraduate or graduate programs throughout the world."
Columbia University in New York offers full scholarships every year for refugees and other displaced students. The Columbia University Scholarship for Displaced Students (CUSDS) was launched in December 2019 and has committed up to $6 million in scholarship money for up to 30 students so far.
To be eligible for the CUSDS, applicants must apply to and be accepted by one of the degree programs listed on the website. Acceptance requirements and application deadlines differ depending on the school and degree program.
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Trump administration opens antisemitism inquiries at 5 colleges, including Columbia and Berkeley
The Trump administration is opening new investigations into allegations of antisemitism at five U.S. universities including Columbia and the University of California, Berkeley, the Education Department announced Monday.
It's part of President Donald Trump's promise to take a tougher stance against campus antisemitism and deal out harsher penalties than the Biden administration, which settled a flurry of cases with universities in its final weeks. It comes the same day the Justice Department announced a new task force to root out antisemitism on college campuses.
In an order signed last week, Trump called for aggressive action to fight anti-Jewish bias on campuses, including the deportation of foreign students who have participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
Along with Columbia and Berkeley, the department is now investigating the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University and Portland State University. The cases were opened using the department's power to launch its own civil rights reviews, unlike the majority of investigations, which stem from complaints.
Messages seeking comment were left with all five universities.
A statement from the Education Department criticized colleges for tolerating antisemitism after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel and a wave of pro-Palestinian protests that followed. It also criticized the Biden administration for negotiating "toothless" resolutions that failed to hold schools accountable.
"Today, the Department is putting universities, colleges, and K-12 schools on notice: this administration will not tolerate continued institutional indifference to the wellbeing of Jewish students on American campuses," said Craig Trainor, the agency's acting assistant secretary for civil rights.
The department didn't provide details about the inquiries or how it decided which schools are being targeted. Presidents of Columbia and Northwestern were among those called to testify on Capitol Hill last year as Republicans sought accountability for allegations of antisemitism. The hearings contributed to the resignation of multiple university presidents, including Columbia's Minouche Shafik.
An October report from House Republicans accused Columbia of failing to punish pro-Palestinian students who took over a campus building, and it called Northwestern's negotiations with student protesters a "stunning capitulation."
House Republicans applauded the new investigations. Representative Tim Walberg, chair of the Education and Workforce Committee, said he was "glad that we finally have an administration who is taking action to protect Jewish students."
Trump's order also calls for a full review of antisemitism complaints filed with the Education Department since Oct. 7, 2023, including pending and resolved cases from the Biden administration. It encourages the Justice Department to take action to enforce civil rights laws.
Last week's order drew backlash from civil rights groups who said it violated First Amendment rights that protect political speech.
The new task force announced Monday includes the Justice and Education departments along with Health and Human Services.
"The Department takes seriously our responsibility to eradicate this hatred wherever it is found," said Leo Terrell, assistant attorney general for civil rights. "The Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism is the first step in giving life to President Trump's renewed commitment to ending anti-Semitism in our schools."
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The Times of India breaks down the most popular subjects for international students to study in the U.S.
STEM and business lead the pack. Read the full story here. (January 2025)
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Safety and visa difficulties among misconceptions about US colleges
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British student talks about her culture shock in Ohio
A British student who did a year abroad at Bowling Green State University in Ohio talks about adjusting to life in America in a TikTok video, Newsweek magazine reports.
Among the biggest surprises? Portion sizes, jaywalking laws and dorm room beds.
Read the full story here. (December 2024)
