Russ Feingold: “I am told by colleges and universities that it is common for foreign students and scholars temporarily to drop out of…”

“I am told by colleges and universities that it is common for foreign students and scholars temporarily to drop out of status during the course of their studies. For example, a student might be told by a professor to drop a particular course, thereby inadvertently dropping below the 12 credits per term required by INS regulations to remain a bona fide student. INS currently allows such students to be reinstated to their previous status. Such reinstatement might not occur until later in the semester, however, when INS-designated school officials notice the problem. Does the Senator intend our visa-overstayer provision to alter the INS's practice in such cases?”