Immigration officials reconsidered a decision Monday to cut off enrollment for part-time Canadian and Mexican students attending U.S. schools across the borders.
Rather than barring students from the United States, the Immigration and Naturalization Service is requiring heightened restrictions. Students will no longer be able to present travel visas or crossing cards to attend classes over the U.S. border.
“Sept. 11 opened our eyes to a lot of things, and immediately post-9-11, there were security concerns, especially in the border area,” Department of Justice spokesman Jorge Martinez said.
Canadian students must now show between one and 20 forms proving their enrollment, and Mexican students must obtain foreign student visas. The schools need to be within 75 miles of the borders and approved by the INS.
The new ruling is only temporary. Immigration officials are paroling Canadian and Mexican students who have already enrolled in U.S. schools until Dec. 31 to ensure their education is not interrupted.
In addition to students having to provide more papers to be considered legitimate, schools are being asked to put in some extra effort as well, Martinez said.
In an online program called the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, - which may be running by January - schools will be required to name and provide basic information about all foreign students. INS is affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice.
This new development is designed “to make the program more efficient,” Martinez said.
Despite the restrictions, MSU’s Israel Cuellar, director of the Julian Samora Research Institute, which provides services for the Chicano and Latino community, said the long-standing tradition of border schools is invaluable.
“It’s been going on for years and years,” he said. “It’s something that has improved the relationships between the countries. It improves the educational level of the colleges. It has a terrific payoff.”
Financially, schools that depend on the income from foreign students would suffer, Cuellar added.
Cuellar said universities aren’t receiving the only benefit. He said who attend schools in countries other than their residence will become bicultural and proficient in the social issues and economics of both nations.
“The graduates will eventually be the leaders in international relations,” he said.
With all the benefits associated with border schools attendance, INS shouldn’t have even considered ending it, Movimiento Estudiantil Xicano de Aztla co-founder Daniel Soza said. MEXA is MSU’s Xicano student group.
“The frenzy after Sept. 11 is causing a backlash,” he said. “It’s simply a reactionary society. It’s psychologically damaging to our people and our youth.”
Soza said too many government restrictions will impose upon basic rights.
“If you stop and think about the makeup of this country - this country is made up of people overseas,” Soza said. “The rights are to be able to obtain an education. Unless people of sound mind put a stop to it, it’s a ball that will keep on rolling.”
