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1www.ice.gov
SEVP Responds to GAO Audit
January 2013 Volume 3, Issue 1 Director’s Corner Study in the States
UpdateHSAAC Update
Campus SentinelSEVP Spring Conference Season
Guidance UpdateSEVIS UpdateContact Us
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A message from Louis M. Farrell, Director of ICE’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program
• DevelopingandimplementingaprocesstorecordbothstatelicensingandaccreditationstatusofallSEVP-certifiedschools
• Establishingtimeframestoensureallflightschoolsmeetappropriaterequirements
• ImprovingcoordinationwithotherU.S.ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE)entities
SEVP’seffortstoimproveintheseareasoffocuswillhelpstrengthentheintegrityoftheprogramandfurthervalidatethewaywecertifyschoolstoenrollnonimmigrantstudents.
Forexample,SEVPisdesigningandimplementingacompliancemethodologythatbetterutilizesthesubjectmatterexpertiseofschoolcertificationadjudicators,aswellastrendstobetteridentifyandassesshigh-riskschools.Thecompliancemethodologyincorporatesqualitativeandquantitativeanalysessuchasariskscorecard,redflaganalysis,andariskassessmenttooltheHomelandInfrastructureThreatandRiskAnalysisCenterisdeveloping.Oncethisprocessisinplace,wewillconductanalysisonhowtobestallocateresourcestomaintaintheseprocesses.
SEVPcontinuestoimprovecoordinationwithotherICEentitiesthroughourcollaborationwiththeCounterterrorismandCriminalExploitationUnit(CTCEU).Wenowreferallhigh-riskschools
Earlierthisyear,theGovernmentAccountabilityOffice(GAO)conductedanauditoftheStudentandExchangeVisitorProgram(SEVP)asafollow-uptotheHomelandSecurityInvestigationsvisafraudinvestigationofTri-ValleyUniversityin2011.GAO’sauditexaminedboththeprocessesthroughwhichSEVPcertifiesacademicinstitutionsandthoseitusestomonitorcomplianceofSEVP-certifiedschools.Insummer2012,GAOreleasedtheofficialreportandincludedrecommendationsforSEVP.Sincethereleaseofthereport,SEVPhasworkedtoincreaseefficienciesandimprovethestrengthoftheprogramanditsabilitytoprotectnationalsecuritybysecuringthestudentvisasystem.
BasedoneightrecommendationsfromtheGAOreport,SEVPisworkingtoimproveoperationsinseveralareas:
• Developingriskassessmentactivities• Implementingconsistentproceduresto
confirmschools’eligibility• Establishingaprocesstoidentifyandaddress
missingschoolcasefiles
totheCTCEUforreview.SEVPandCTCEUareestablishingcriteriaforinformationsharingandreferringcriminalleadsbetweenthetwogroups.
SEVPisalsofinalizingguidanceonflightschools,reiteratingthatschoolsmustbeFAAPart141orPart142certifiedwhilealsoensuringthatofficialsattheseschoolshavetimetoobtainthiscertification.TheSEVPAnalysisandOperationsCenteriscurrentlycoordinatingwiththeFederalAviationAdministrationtoenhanceinformationsharing.
SEVPisdiligentlyworkingtodeveloppoliciestoensurethatallexternalstakeholdersreceivenoticeofchanges,therebyincreasingourtransparency.
AllofthesechangeswillincreaseefficienciesandcombineeffortstobenefitSEVP,allowingustobetterservetheneedsofourstakeholderswhilecarryingoutourmissiontoprotectnationalsecurity.OnbehalfofSEVP,IsincerelythankyouforyourcontinueddedicationandsupporttotheFandMnonimmigranteducationmission.
TakeCare,
Lou
DIRECTOR’S CORNER
SEVP Spotlight January 2013 www.ice.gov 2
STUDY IN THE STATES UPDATE
New Features on Study in the States
HSAAC UPDATE
Increasing Engagement with theInternational Student CommunityOverthepastyear,theDepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS)hasworkedcloselywithacademicleaderstoincreaseourengagementwiththeinternationalstudentcommunityandtoexaminethepoliciesandprocessesthataffectthem.OnepartofthateffortistheHomelandSecurityAcademicAdvisoryCouncil(HSAAC),createdbyDHSSecretaryJanetNapolitanoinMarch2012.HSAACisafederaladvisorycommitteethatadvisesSecretaryNapolitanoandseniorleadershipatDHSonseveralkeyissues.Prominentuniversityandacademicassociationpresidentsmakeupthiscommittee.
HSAAChasfivesubcommittees,withonededicatedsolelytointernationalstudentissues.Dr.HunterRawlingsIII,presidentoftheAssociationofAmericanUniversities,andDr.JohnSexton,presidentofNewYorkUniversity,chairthesubcommitteeoninternationalstudents.Throughout2012thissubcommitteemetseveraltimesandsubmittedover23recommendations.HSAACadoptedalloftherecommendationsattheJulyandOctobermeetings.DHSalreadyhasimplementedanumberoftheserecommendations,includingincreasingitsengagementwiththeacademiccommunityoninternationalstudentpoliciesanddraftguidance.Also,DHSisexpeditingkeyregulatoryreformstoassistU.S.schoolsinrecruitingandsupportinginternationalstudents.
HSAACwillcontinuetomeetthroughout2013.Formoreinformationvisithttp://www.dhs.gov/homeland-security-academic-advisory-council-hsaac.
TheStudentandExchangeVisitorProgram(SEVP)recentlylaunchedseveralnewfeaturesonStudy in the Statestoincreaseaccessibilityofthesiteandcontinuetoenhancecontentforstakeholders.
Study in the StatesnowfeaturesGoogleTranslatecapabilities,translatingthecontentinto64languages.ThisencouragesmoreFandMstudentstoshareinformationfromStudy in the States withfamilyandfriendsintheirhomecountry.Thisfunctionwillhelpstudentsbetterunderstand
DepartmentofHomelandSecurityrulesandrequirementswhenreadintheirownlanguage.
SEVPnowusesStudy in the StatestoseekstakeholderfeedbackonSEVPdraftguidance.Stakeholderscandownloadthedraftguidancefromtheguidance page andsubmitfeedbackviae-mailduringthedesignatedfeedbackperiods.Additionally,stakeholdershavetheoptiontosignupfore-mailupdateseachtimenewdraftguidanceispostedtoStudy in the States.
Study in the Stateshasanewweeklyblogseriestitled“QuestionsfromDesignatedSchoolOfficials.”Thisfeatureprovidesdesignatedschoolofficials(DSOs)withanswerstocommonlyaskedquestions.TheseriesallowsDSOstosubmitquestionsviae-mailandtheappropriatesubjectmatterexpertstopublisharesponse.TheseriesfeaturesanewquestioneachweekontheStudy in the States blog.Tosubmitaquestion,[email protected]:“QuestionsfromDSOs.”
More Students are Studying in the States InNovember2012,theInstituteofInternationalEducationreportedthatmorethan760,000internationalstudentsstudiedintheUnitedStatesduringthe2011-2012academicyear–asixpercentincreasefromthepreviousyear.Additionally,internationalstudentsandtheirfamiliescontributedmorethan$22.7billiontotheU.S.economyinthepastyear.
WealsowanttohearfromschoolofficialsabouttheimpactFandMstudentshavemadeonyourcampusesandcommunities.PleaseshareyourthoughtsontheStudy in the States TwitterorFacebook.
SEVP Spotlight January 2013 www.ice.gov 3
AspartofU.S.ImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE),HomelandSecurityInvestigations(HSI)investigates,detersandinterdictsthreatsarisingfromthemovementofpeopleandgoodsintoandoutoftheUnitedStates.Inregardstoforeignstudents,HSI’sgoalistomakesurethatthosewhoseektoharmthecountryareturnedaway,whilelegitimatestudentsarewelcomeintheUnitedStates.TheCounterterrorismandCriminalExploitationUnit(CTCEU)investigatesnonimmigrantvisaholderswhoviolatetheir
immigrationstatusandplaceshighpriorityoncombattingthecriminalexploitationofthestudentvisasystem.
TheStudentandExchangeVisitorProgram(SEVP)andCTCEUworkcloselytoproactivelyidentifyandpreventexploitationattheschoolandstudentlevel.In2012CTCEUinitiatedanoutreachprogramdirectedatacademicandvocationalinstitutionsthatareSEVP-certifiedtoenrollFandMstudentsandJexchangevisitors.Thisinitiative
CAMPUS SENTINEL
A Partnership to Protect America
SEVP Spring Conference Season Thisspring,theStudentandExchangeVisitorProgram(SEVP)willparticipateinconferencesacrosstheUnitedStatestoprovideinformationtostakeholders.Inthespring2013presentationentitled“UpcomingChangesinSEVP,”SEVPrepresentativeswillpresentinformationonoperationalchangesthatwillaffectstakeholders.Topicstobediscussedinthesessionswillincludethefollowing:
• Revisedinitialcertificationprocess
• UpdatestotheFormI-17,“PetitionforApprovalofSchoolforAttendancebyNonimmigrantStudent”
• Upcomingguidanceforstakeholders,amongothersignificantprocesschanges,toincreaseefficiencyinSEVP’soperations
focusesonopeningcommunicationchannelsdirectlybetweendesignatedschoolsofficials(DSOs)andHSIspecialagentsinourfieldoffices.ThisoutreachservestobuildpartnershipsbetweenICEfieldofficesandSEVP-certifiedschoolsinordertodetectandproactivelycombatschoolfraud.
Partnershipsbenefitall:
• Bysharinginformationwithschoolofficials,HSImayhelpimprovetheschool’smanagementsystemoftheirprogramsandhelppreventtheirstudentsfromfallingoutofnonimmigrantstatus.
• InformationsharingbetweenHSI,DSOsandstudentsresultsinimprovedstrategiesforidentifyingandprosecutingunlawfulactivity.
• HSI’sinvestigationofschoolsthatdonotcomplywithSEVPrequirementshelpsupholdtheintegrityoflegitimateschoolsandprograms.
DSOshavetheresponsibilitytoensurethattheforeignstudentsinvitedtotheUnitedStatesintendtobeproductivestudents.AforeignnationalmayviewastudentvisaasameansofimmigratingtotheUnitedStatesratherthanachievinganacademicgoal.Itisimportanttoidentifyasituationbeforeitbecomesanationalsecurityconcern.
SuspiciousactivitymaybereportedviatheHSI tip [email protected].
SEVP Contacts
SEVP Spotlight January 2013 www.ice.gov 4
• OurofficesareopenMondaythroughFriday,7:00a.m.to5:00p.m.EasternTime,exceptholidaysPhone: 703-603-3400E-mail:[email protected] Find us on the Web: www.ice.gov/sevishttp://studyinthestates.dhs.gov
FollowusonTwitter@StudyinStates Like Study in the StatesonFacebook
• IfyouneedassistancewithpasswordsorStudentandExchangeVisitorInformationSystem(SEVIS)technicalhelp,calltheSEVISHelpDeskat800-892-4829between8:00a.m.and8:[email protected]
Contact Us
TheStudentandExchangeVisitorProgram(SEVP)isdedicatedtomaintainingopencommunicationwithinternationalstudentsandacademicofficialsinanefforttoprovidenecessarysupportwhilestudyingintheUnitedStates.SEVPhasmultiplecontactoptions:
GUIDANCE UPDATE
Progress on Draft Guidance for Stakeholders
ICE Contacts
Toreportnationalvulnerabilitiesornationalsecurityconcerns:
ContactICE’sCounterterrorism andCriminal Exploitation Unit [email protected]
Toreportexploitationofstudentvisaprograms:
ContactyourlocalHSI SpecialAgent orcall1-866-DHS-2ICE(1-866-347-2423)orvisitwww.ice.gov
TheStudentandExchangeVisitorProgram(SEVP)PolicyUnithasbeenworkingdiligentlywiththeSchoolCertificationUnitandtheSEVPAnalysisandOperationsCenteronguidancedocumentstoprovidegreaterclaritytostakeholders.Thusfar,wehavefinalizedguidanceontheAccreditationofEnglishLanguageTrainingProgramsAct,flighttraining.Finalguidanceoninstructionalsitesandgovernanceareforthcoming.
Additionally,wehavethefollowingdraftscurrentlyinqueue:
• Contractual Relationships Policy Guidance: Thisguidanceclarifiesourpoliciesregardingcontractualrelationshipsbetweenschools.ItwilldiscussthenecessityofSEVPcertificationforschoolsenrollingForMstudents,includingissuingtheFormI-20,“CertificateofEligibilityforNonimmigrantStudentStatus,”ininstanceswhereanForMstudentcompletesanentireprogramofstudyatacontractedschool.TheguidancealsocontainsrequirementsforEnglishasaSecondLanguagestudentsandflighttrainingproviders.
• Conditional Admission/Bridge Programs:Thisguidancedefinesconditionaladmissionandbridgeprograms,discusseswhatisandisnotpermissibleandexplainsthatdesignatedschoolofficialsatbridgeprogramsshouldissuetheFormI-20tostudents.
• Change of Ownership: Thisguidanceexplainswhatconstitutesachangeofownershipofaschoolandwhenthedateofthatchangeofownershipoccurs.
Aftereachstakeholdercommentperiod,SEVPcollectsallofthesubmittedcommentsforconsiderationandfinalguidanceisproducedandmadeavailableonStudy in the States.
Anticipated SEVIS Release 6.12 TheStudentandExchangeVisitorProgram(SEVP)isdevelopingSEVISRelease6.12withananticipatedreleaseinSpring2013.SEVISRelease6.12willallowtwoDepartmentofHomelandSecurity(DHS)systemstoshareadditionalinformationonvisaoverstays.ThereleasewillallowtheArrivalDepartureInformationSystem(ADIS),operatedbyUnitedStatesVisitorandImmigrantStatusIndicatorTechnology(US-VISIT),andtheStudentandExchangeVisitorInformationSystem(SEVIS)toincreasethefrequencyofdatasharingbetweenthetwosystems.ADISwillprovideSEVISwiththeFormI-94,“Arrival/DepartureRecord,”numberandpassportinformationofthestudentsinoverstaystatus.
ThisreleaseispartofoursupportofalargerDHSinitiativeonthistopic.DHSSecretaryJanetNapolitanocreatedavisaoverstayworkinggroupconsistingofrelevantDHScomponentstoaddresstheoverstayofFandMstudentsandJexchangevisitorsandtheirstatuswithintheUnitedStates.Thevisaoverstayworkinggroupmustidentifyasolutionthatwillfacilitatetheidentification,locationanddeportationofF,MandJnonimmigrantstudentsthatoverstaytheirstatus.