US Visa

The US Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced that it had withdrawn visa guidelines that barred international students from the US if all of their classes were to be conducted online this autumn.

The announcement came during a federal district court hearing Tuesday in a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) chalenging the administration's decision, arguing the policy was created unlawfully and that it contradicted previous guidance from federal immigration officials.

Voice of America, the federal government's international broadcaster, could face the loss of dozens of its international journalists as their visas will not be extended once they expire, reports NPR, citing three anonymous sources.

The decision not to renew visas could weaken the broadcaster operations, as it depends on native speakers of foreign languages to produce its content.

Officials have announced that the US President Donald Trump is about to sign an executive order that will suspend the issuance of H-1B visas, H-2B visas, H-4 visas, L-1 visas and certain J-1 visas through 2020. Affected groups are skilled workers working in fields such as the technology sector, seasonal workers and spouses of H-1B visa holders. According to an official, the measures would affect half a million jobs.