Latest news with #DACA
The Hill
8 hours ago
- Politics
- The Hill
Trump tightens reins on foreign students in multifront immigration crackdown on universities
President Trump is making it harder and harder for international students and immigrants to pursue higher education in the U.S. Dreamers, foreign students seeking visas and potentially even those looking to work in the country after graduation have all found themselves caught in the crossfire as Trump seeks to curb immigration while also cracking down on colleges and universities. 'It certainly did strike me that universities kept coming up as a very attractive target, and as a place where a lot of things that might not be really noticeable for another few years are becoming noticeable just in the scope of a few months,' said Dara Lind, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council. The most recent Trump administration action came against Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients, those who came to the country undocumented as children who are allowed to renew their status every two years to avoid deportation. The Education Department announced last week it was investigating five universities for scholarship programs they have for DACA recipients, arguing the policies are unfair to U.S. citizens. 'As we mark President Trump's historic six months back in the White House, we are expanding our enforcement efforts to protect American students and lawful residents from invidious national origin discrimination of the kind alleged here,' said Acting Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Craig Trainor. Foreign students coming to the U.S. now must go through a new social media check when applying for a visa, which has resulted in individuals purging their online accounts of any information that could be considered controversial. For those who have been studying in the U.S. over the past six months, life has been a whirlwind. Thousands were taken off the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a reporting system that gives information about international students to the Department of Homeland Security — then later reinstated after an uproar. Multiple students and faculty have been arrested and targeted for deportation after participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations, with the State Department alleging they pose a risk to U.S. foreign policy. Most of the individuals have been released from custody but are still facing deportation trials. 'I think they decided to target universities, particularly after the campus protests that happened in the previous year, and they've been looking for different leverage points to be able to force the universities to act in a way that Trump officials want them to act,' said Stuart Anderson, executive director for the National Foundation for American Policy. 'One point of leverage has been research funds, because that involves a large amount of money. But another part, another part of that leverage has been international student policy, because it's something that the federal government does have power over,' Anderson added. Advocates argue universities need to be willing to step up and fight back, despite the risk of federal funding pauses that have fallen on multiple institutions. 'We need to leverage all the levers that we have at our disposal, everything from comment letters when there are proposed rules, to legal action when that's appropriate, to really understanding how we navigate these different, evolving and complicated immigration policies in a way that continues our compliance with the law and support our students,' said Miriam Feldblum, president and CEO of the Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration. 'It's not one type of actions that we need to take. We need to be attuned and nimble to take a variety of actions in order to support our campuses and communities,' Feldblum added. The White House did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. International students who are at universities specifically targeted by the Trump administration, such as Harvard and Columbia, have even larger concerns. The administration tried to take away Harvard's ability to enroll foreign students, though the courts have so far rejected that move. The federal government has not given up, however, and launched an additional investigation into Harvard's compliance with enrolling foreign students. Separately, Columbia last week said it would in the future tell the Trump administration if an international student is expelled, one of a list of reforms to which the school agreed in order to get federal funds unfrozen. 'The administration has already identified universities — particularly a few elite universities — as individual targets for its culture war. That going after Columbia, going after Harvard — in a lot of respects, they've already identified that these are battles that they want to pick and that they want to have publicity in picking on them,' said Lind. Advocates worry the Trump administration will also seek to end a program that allows international students to work for a year in the U.S. after they graduate or require foreign students to apply for extensions if their studies take longer than originally predicted. 'You would get, eventually, hundreds or thousands of extensions a year, potentially and it would discourage international students from coming to United States, particularly if the extensions were not approved easily or regularly or if it was going to interfere with people being able to study or continue to study,' Anderson said.
Mint
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Mint
Trump administration offers $1000 exit bonus, free air tickets to illegal immigrants, attorney says ‘latest insult to…'
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services on Monday again urged illegal immigrants to self-deport, offering them free plane tickets and a $1000 bonus among others — a move that has been called an 'insult' to those who tried to make their way legally. In a post on X, the USCIS said, 'We encourage all aliens in the US illegally to self-deport using the @DHSgov @CBP Home App.' 'Through the App, you'll receive a complimentary plane ticket home, a $1,000 exit bonus upon your return home, and any unpaid fines for failing to depart previously will be forgiven.' A US immigration attorney, Robert Webber, slammed the Donald Trump administration over the $1000 bonus that it has announced for self-deportation. 'I was curious whether any laid off H-1B or L-1 workers have sought the $1,000 exit 'bonus' being offered by the Trump Administration. Or maybe F-1s whose OPT or STEM OPT ran out? But digging into the details, linked in the first comment below, it looks like non-immigrants may not be eligible. Classic,' he said in a post on LinkedIn. Webber also reflected on a case he fought about the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals immigration policy that did not allow legal immigrants perks like a work permit. 'I remember when DACA was announced, a widow I represented in H-1B status wanted EADs for her teenage children but because they were here legally as H-4s, they were not eligible for DACA,' he said. Slamming the Trump administration, he said the $1000 exit bonus was the 'latest insult' to legal immigrants. 'The exit bonus: I suppose is is just the latest insult to people who tried to make their way through the legal process. You apparently get nothing. But if you came through irregular means - we will throw $1,000 at you,' he quipped. The move was first announced in May by the Department of Homeland Security, headed by Kristi Noem. The stipend and potential airfare for migrants who voluntarily depart would cost less than an actual deportation, the agency said. The average cost of arresting, detaining and deporting someone without legal status is currently about $17,000, according to the DHS.
CNBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Ascent Funding Student Loans: 2025 Review
Paying for college often means turning to private student loans — and many of those require a cosigner, especially if you don't have an established credit history or steady income. A cosigner can help you qualify and even secure a lower interest rate. But not everyone has someone they can ask. Ascent Funding offers students the flexibility to apply with or without a cosigner, depending on their financial or academic profile. But it also offers flexible repayment plans, generous loan limits and cash back perks. 3.09% to 15.61% APR with autopay discount (undergraduate new loan). Other rates and loan types are available. Visit Ascent's website for full details. Undergraduate and graduate loans, MBA, medical school, dental school, law school, doctorate and Master's, health professional loans. $2,001 up to $200,000 for undergraduate loans and $400,000 for graduate loans 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20 years Deferment and forbearance options available For DACA recipients and non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents No Terms apply. Ascent offers private student loans for students attending eligible undergraduate or graduate programs. If you're a graduate student, you can also apply for a cosigned credit-based loan if you have a creditworthy cosigner, such as a parent, guardian or sponsor, or a non-cosigned credit-based loan if you meet certain credit and income requirements on your own. If you're enrolled in a specific type of graduate program, there are customized repayments terms available for: Ascent also offers parent student loans for parents, grandparents, guardians or sponsors who want to help cover education costs, though eligibility requirements apply, as well as bootcamp loans, which are consumer loans designed for career-focused bootcamps or accelerated-learning programs. Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent and graduate students, parents, health professionals$5,000 minimum (or up to state); maximum up to cost of attendance5, 7, 10, 15, years; up to 20 years for refinancing loans Terms applyUndergraduate and graduate students, parents, international students with U.S. co-signer$1,000 up to the cost of attendance ($180,000 lifelong maximum)5, 8, 10, 15 years for undergraduate loans, up to 20 years for graduate loans Terms apply To qualify for an Ascent student loan, you must be enrolled at least half-time at an eligible institution. If you're applying for a non-cosigned outcomes-based loan, you must be a junior or senior enrolled full-time, or half-time within nine months of graduation at an eligible school. If you're applying with a cosigner, your cosigner must have a minimum gross annual income of $24,000 for both the current and previous year. For the outcomes-based loan, you'll need to maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0 and meet your school's satisfactory academic progress standards. Borrowers must be at least half-time in a degree program at an eligible U.S. college or university Ascent doesn't publicly disclose specific credit score requirements but approval depends on several factors, including: You can use Ascent's prequalification tool to get a better sense of which loan options you may be eligible for, without impacting your credit score. The exact rates and terms of your Ascent loan may vary based on your credit and program. Ascent offers fixed rates starting as low as 3.09% APR and variable rates starting at 4.31% APR. Ascent offers loan terms of 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 or 20 years. There's no prepayment penalty so you can pay off your loan early without added fees. If you select a 20-year term, you'll only be eligible for variable interest rates. And for loans with low balances, your minimum monthly payment account may shorten the total repayment period — meaning your loan may be paid off faster than the selected term. Ascent does not charge any application, disbursement, prepayment or late fees. The minimum loan amount available to borrowers is $2,001, while in Massachusetts it's $6,001. The maximum is $200,000 for undergraduate students, and $400,000 for graduate students. Ascent offers a variety of repayment options based on your credit profile and whether you apply with or without a cosigner. Interest-only: Pay only the interest while in school and during the grace period. Full payments begin after graduation. $25 minimum: Make flat $25 monthly payments while in school. Full payments start after graduation. Deferred: Make no payments while in school. Interest accrues and is added to the loan balance when repayment begins. Other than not always needing a cosigner, Ascent offers a range of perks. 1% cash back reward: You can get 1% of your original loan amount back when you graduate, as long as you meet certain eligibility requirements. Up to 1% interest rate discount: You can sign up for automatic payments to receive an interest rate reduction (0.25% for autopay, with additional promotional offers sometimes available). High loan limits: You can borrow up to $200,000 for undergraduate loans, and up to $400,000 for graduate loans. Ascent offers several advantages but there are some limitations to consider. Ascent offers support via phone, email and live chat during business hours. It's generally well-rated for ease of application but customer service experiences can vary. Applying for a student loan with Ascent is generally straightforward: While Ascent offers flexible borrowing options, its interest rates can fall on the higher side, especially if you don't qualify for discounts. If low rates are your priority, Earnest offers some of the lowest starting APRs among private lenders. It also lets you pick your exact repayment timeline and doesn't charge late fees. Undergraduate and graduate students, parents, half-time students, international and DACA students Undergraduate, graduate loans, parent loans, MBA, medical school, law school, international and DACA student loans $1,000 up to the cost of attendance for new loans, $5,000 to $550,000 for refinance loans 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 years Nine-month grace period available No Yes - click here for details Terms you're looking to refinance your student loans after graduation, SoFi is a top alternative. SoFi allows you to consolidate federal and private loans with no fees and potentially lower your interest rate, especially if your credit has improved or your income has increased. 3.23% to 15.99% APR with 0.25% autopay discount (Undergraduate New Loan). Other rates and loan types are available. Visit SoFi's website for full details. Undergraduate, graduate, parent loans, law school, MBA and health professions loans $5,000 (or state-mandated minimum) up to the cost of attendance 5, 7, 10, 15 years; refinancing loans up to 20 years No Yes - click here for details Yes - click here for details Terms matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here. At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every student loan review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of student loan products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
CNBC
4 days ago
- Business
- CNBC
Earnest Student Loans: 2025 Review
If you're considering private lenders to help you finance your education as a student, there are several reasons to consider Earnest as a potential lender. Earnest provides loans for a variety of educational circumstances including undergraduate and graduate loans, law school and medical school loans and even half-time student loans. Plus, applicants can borrow up to the cost of attendance for their school. Below, CNBC Select provides a full breakdown of what you need to know about Earnest student loans. Read on to find out more. Offers in this section are from affiliate partners and selected based on a combination of engagement, product relevance, compensation, and consistent and graduate students, parents, health professionals$5,000 minimum (or up to state); maximum up to cost of attendance5, 7, 10, 15, years; up to 20 years for refinancing loans Terms applyUndergraduate and graduate students, parents, international students with U.S. co-signer$1,000 up to the cost of attendance ($180,000 lifelong maximum)5, 8, 10, 15 years for undergraduate loans, up to 20 years for graduate loans Terms apply Undergraduate and graduate students, parents, half-time students, international and DACA students Undergraduate, graduate loans, parent loans, MBA, medical school, law school, international and DACA student loans $1,000 up to the cost of attendance for new loans, $5,000 to $550,000 for refinance loans 5, 7, 10, 12, 15 years Nine-month grace period available No Yes - click here for details Terms offers several types of student loans that can be used for undergraduate and graduate school, MBA school, medical school and law school. You can also apply for a parent loan and can apply for loans even if you're an international student or if you're refinancing an existing loan. Another option Earnest offers is co-signed student loans. This just means that if you're looking to get approved for better rates and terms, or if you're concerned about being approved on your own, you can get a parent or other trusted family member to be your co-signer on the loan. According to Earnest's website, co-signers can improve their student's chances of getting approved by as much as five times. In order to qualify for a student loan from Earnest, borrowers should attending or planning to attend school at an eligible four-year institution, and residing in a state where Earnest can lend money. Earnest can provide loans in all states except for Nevada. They must also be a U.S. Citizen, a Permanent Resident, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or Asylee or have a cosigner who is. There are also some additional criteria, depending on the specific type of loan you're applying for and your circumstances as a borrower. You must... You must... Interest rates can fluctuate depending on the benchmark rate set by the Federal Reserve but as of the time of this writing, Earnest offers rates starting at 3.19% with a co-signer and 4.89% without a co-signer. These rates are inclusive of a 0.25% autopay discount. Of course, applying with a co-signer who has a better credit situation than you do can help you qualify for an even lower interest rate. Earnest doesn't charge any origination fees, prepayment fees or extra payment fees. The lender boasts zero fees on its student loans and according to its website, it generates revenue primarily from collecting interest. Typical term lengths for Earnest student loans include 5, 7, 10, 12, and 15 years. Term length approval will depend on your credit report, the information provided in your application and other factors. Earnest offers four general repayment options: deferred, fixed, interest-only and full repayment. The deferred option means that you pay $0 while you're still in school and during your nine month grace period. However, you may still accrue interest on your loan balance even though you aren't required to make a payment during this time. The fixed option means you'll make a fixed low monthly payment of just $25 while you're still in school and during your grace period. After you graduate and your grace period has ended, you'll then be required to make the full monthly payment. This option helps you get a small headstart on repaying your loan even if you can't afford to make the full payment right away. The interest-only option involves making payments that only cover your accrued interest while you're still in school and during your grace period. Full payment will be due after your grace period ends. This option is only available to those with co-signed loans. Lastly, the full repayment option, as the name suggests, involves making your fully monthly payment even while you're still in school and after you graduate. As you can imagine, this option lets you pay the least amount in interest and helps you repay the loan the fastest. Of course, you should always choose the option that works best for your circumstances. Earnest offers a nine month grace period on their student loans. Depending on the repayment option you choose, full payment may not be due during this time. This lender also lets qualified borrowers skip one payment every 12 months. You'll pretty much enter a one-month forbearance that won't affect your standing with your loan. To be eligible for your first skipped payment, you must have made at least six consecutive on-time payments in full. And then if you want to skip a payment for a second time, you must have made at least 12 more consecutive on-time payments in full. You'll also be required to submit a request form to skip a payment. Lastly, Earnest offers a 0.25% discount for signing up for auto pay. This discount is also typically offered by many other lenders, though. Before applying for an Earnest student loan, consider these pros and cons. To apply, you can submit an online application from Earnest's website. Choose your desired type of loan and follow the steps to provide additional information. Ascent Funding is another solid student loan option but instead of offering repayment terms of up to 15 years like Earnest does, Ascent offers terms as long as 20 years. This can be a huge draw for someone who would prefer to have a bit more time to repay their loan despite accruing more in interest. Another big difference between the two is that while Earnest allows you to borrow up to the cost of attendance for your school, Ascent only lets you borrow up to $200,000 for undergraduate loans and up to $400,000 for graduate student loans. Most borrowers probably won't need to borrow this much money but if you happen to be someone who needs more than that, the lower funding limit from Ascent can definitely be a deal breaker for you. 3.09% to 15.61% APR with autopay discount (undergraduate new loan). Other rates and loan types are available. Visit Ascent's website for full details. Undergraduate and graduate loans, MBA, medical school, dental school, law school, doctorate and Master's, health professional loans. $2,001 up to $200,000 for undergraduate loans and $400,000 for graduate loans 5, 7, 10, 12, 15, 20 years Deferment and forbearance options available For DACA recipients and non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents No Terms apply. Funding U also has a few stark differences compared to Earnest. First off, Funding U only allows applicants to borrow up to $20,000 per school year. While this ensures that some students don't borrow more than they may need, this limit may not be enough for some students. Next, Funding U offers repayment terms of only five or 10 years, making it less flexible with repayment time horizon compared to Earnest, which offers repayment terms that range from five years to 15 years. Funding U also only offers fixed rate loans. However, one factor that makes Funding U a very attractive option is that it offers a 0.5% rate discount for making interest-only payments in school. Earnest doesn't offer a comparable discount for doing the same thing, but it does offer a 0.25% rate discount for signing up for autopay. Qualifying undergraduate borrowers Up to $20,000 per school year 5 or 10 years Fixed Forbearance options available No Terms apply. Of course, it's always best to apply with a higher credit score but Earnest lets those with a credit score of 650 or higher apply for a loan without a co-signer. If your credit score is below 650, you can still apply for a loan but you'll need a co-signer. Earnest does conduct a hard credit check in order for you to officially apply for the loan and receive an outcome. Earnest may take steps to review your income depending on the type of loan you're applying for. Your income must come from a stable and verifiable source, according to the lender's FAQs. Money matters — so make the most of it. Get expert tips, strategies, news and everything else you need to maximize your money, right to your inbox. Sign up here. At CNBC Select, our mission is to provide our readers with high-quality service journalism and comprehensive consumer advice so they can make informed decisions with their money. Every student loan review is based on rigorous reporting by our team of expert writers and editors with extensive knowledge of student loan products. While CNBC Select earns a commission from affiliate partners on many offers and links, we create all our content without input from our commercial team or any outside third parties, and we pride ourselves on our journalistic standards and ethics.
Newsweek
4 days ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Trump Admin Identifies Gang Immigration 'Loophole'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new report from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has raised concerns over the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) program, citing instances of identity fraud and gang affiliations among applicants approved for lawful permanent residency. "The scale of criminality, gang involvement, and fraud described in this report is more extensive than in earlier public discussions of the Special Immigrant Juvenile (SIJ) program," Morgan Bailey, a partner at Mayer Brown and a former senior official at the Department of Homeland Security, told Newsweek. One expert told Newsweek that Project 2025 had called for USCIS to bolster its fraud detection unit, with this latest report a sign of that effort. "It also reflects the Trump administration's terminations of the temporary, discretionary statuses granted under the Biden administration—humanitarian parole, deferred action, and temporary protected status (DACA being a notable exception)," Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, told Newsweek. Why It Matters SIJ status is a form of humanitarian immigration relief available to undocumented minors in the United States who have been abused, abandoned, or neglected by one or both parents. It was created by Congress in 1990 to protect vulnerable youth from being returned to unsafe environments and to provide them a pathway to lawful permanent residency. Once SIJ status is granted, the individual becomes eligible to apply for lawful permanent residency. President Donald Trump has ordered his administration to carry out widespread removals as part of his pledge to conduct what Republicans describe as the largest mass deportation operation in U.S. history. Police detain immigrants and asylum-seekers reporting for immigration court proceedings in New York City on July 24, 2025. Police detain immigrants and asylum-seekers reporting for immigration court proceedings in New York City on July 24, 2025. DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images What To Know USCIS said in a report that 853 known or suspected gang members filed SIJ petitions during the review period, including more than 600 affiliated with the MS-13 gang. Of those, over 500 applications belonging to suspected MS-13 gang members were approved, per the report. Many petitioners submitted their SIJ I-360 petitions after turning 18 and qualified based on determinations that one of their parents had abandoned or neglected them. The report also identifies approved petitions from individuals linked to other gangs, such as over 100 members of the 18th Street gang, at least three from Tren de Aragua (TdA), and several associated with the Sureños and Norteños. Bailey told Newsweek that there were various weaknesses in the program, particularly in how agencies communicate with one another, which can lead to opportunities for fraud or exploitation. The report, titled "Criminality, Gangs, and Program Integrity Concerns in Special Immigrant Juvenile Petitions," examines more than 300,000 SIJ petitions filed between fiscal year (FY) 2013 and February 2025. Over half the SIJ applicants in FY 2024 were between 18 and 20 years old, according to USCIS. Many applicants reportedly entered the United States without legal inspection, and some were found to have submitted petitions using false information about their age, identity, or nationality, the report claims. On June 6, USCIS rescinded a policy, in place since 2022, that automatically considered deferred action—temporary protection from deportation—for approved SIJ petitioners. "Criminal aliens are infiltrating the U.S. through a program meant to protect abused, neglected, or abandoned alien children," USCIS spokesman Matthew J. Tragesser said in a press release. To qualify for SIJ, a state juvenile court must issue an order establishing dependency or custody or placement with a state‐appointed guardian, find that reunification with a parent is not viable due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment, and determine that returning to the child's home country would not be in the child's best interests. After USCIS approves the SIJ petition and a visa number becomes available, beneficiaries can apply to adjust their status to lawful permanent resident, thereby gaining the stability to build a safer future in the U.S. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services field office in downtown San Diego, California. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services field office in downtown San Diego, California. Getty Images What People Are Saying Morgan Bailey, a partner at Mayer Brown and a former senior official at the Department of Homeland Security, told Newsweek: "While these exceptions are well-intentioned, the program's relatively low statutory barriers to eligibility have also introduced vulnerabilities. Individuals who would otherwise be barred from obtaining lawful status may see the SIJ program as one of the few viable paths to remain in the United States and normalize their status. "While previous reports and policy analyses have noted some concerns about fraud and the need for better oversight, this USCIS July 2025 report is distinguished by its comprehensive data analysis, explicit documentation of criminal and national security risks, and detailed critique." Kathleen Bush-Joseph, a policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, told Newsweek: "Moving forward, I expect to see the Trump administration trying to deport some of the youth granted Special Immigrant Juvenile status, as happened before the Biden administration's deferred action program, since they remain vulnerable to deportation while they wait for visas to become available, if they do not have deferred action." USCIS spokesman Matthew J. Tragesser said in a statement: "This report exposes how the open border lobby and activist judges are exploiting loopholes in the name of aiding helpless children." What Happens Next USCIS said it was looking at other ways to mitigate vulnerabilities in the SIJ program.
