Department of Homeland Security U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) mission is to protect America from the cross-border crime and illegal immigration that threaten national security and public safety. Securing our nation’s borders and safeguarding the integrity of our immigration system is a primary focus of ICE officers and agents throughout the country. For more information, visit https://www.ice.gov/.
Student and Exchange Visitor Program

The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) is the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program that administers the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a web-based system for maintaining information on nonimmigrants (and their dependents) whose primary reason for coming to the United States is to be students and/or exchange visitors in the United States as well as on SEVP-certified schools. It ensures that government agencies have essential data related to nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors to preserve national security. SEVP provides approval and oversight to schools authorized to enroll F and M nonimmigrant students and gives guidance to both schools and students about the requirements for maintaining their status. The Department of State manages Exchange Visitor Programs (called BridgeUSA), nonimmigrant exchange visitors in the J visa classification and their dependents. Both SEVP and BridgeUSA use SEVIS to track and monitor schools; exchange visitor programs; and F, M and J nonimmigrants while they visit the United States and participate in the U.S. education system.

To contact the SEVP Response Center, please email SEVP@ice.dhs.gov any time or call 1-800-892-4829, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. ET, except Federal holidays.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security maintains Study in the States, a comprehensive free government resource that explains the rules and regulations governing the nonimmigrant student process in the United States including the student visa process. Get the latest COVID-19 news, SEVP updates, and guidance for students and schools through the Study in the States blog. On social media, follow Study in the States on Facebook and Twitter.
U.S. CITIZENSHIP AND IMMIGRATION SERVICES (USCIS)

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is the government agency that oversees lawful immigration to the United States. USCIS was founded to enhance the security and efficiency of national immigration services by focusing exclusively on the administration of benefit applications. For more information, visit https://www.uscis.gov/.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has published additional online resources on uscis.gov to provide an overview of some of the temporary and permanent pathways for noncitizens to work in the United States in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). This guide also highlights some of the most important considerations for STEM professionals who want to work in the United States.

Options for Noncitizen STEM Professionals to Work in the United States
Nonimmigrant Pathways for STEM Employment in the United States
Immigrant Pathways for STEM Employment in the United States

CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION (CBP)

Students wishing to check the status of their I-94 should visit this page on the Customs and Border Control website.

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As part of ICE, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) examines, deters and interdicts threats arising from the movement of people and goods into and out of the United States. With respect to international students, HSI established ICE’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) and the web-based Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to collect, maintain and analyze information so that only legitimate nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors gain entry to the United States.

School Fraud

HSI is committed to safeguarding the integrity of our nation’s legal immigration system against fraud and exploitation. Successful partnerships between HSI and local school communities expose fraud that may compromise national security. HSI’s collaboration with the school community may prevent individuals posing as students from fraudulently obtaining or maintaining student status.

Partnerships Benefit All

Information sharing between HSI, schools and students has enhanced strategies for identifying and prosecuting unlawful activity, and has improved schools’ management of programs and prevention of students from falling out of status. HSI’s investigation of noncompliant schools upholds the integrity of legitimate schools and programs.

How You can Help

Foreign nationals may view a student visa as a means of immigrating rather than achieving an academic goal. As a school official, you have the responsibility to ensure that the foreign students you enroll intend to be productive students. You may also help identify situations before they become national security concerns.

To help ICE prevent criminal exploitation of SEVP, and to improve communication with local HSI special agents, you can assist in identifying students or school officials who intend to harm the United States or its people. If you become suspicious of a school or student’s actions, call your local ICE office.

To report exploitation of student visa programs, contact your local HSI special agent or call 1-866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347- 2423). More information is available at www.ice.gov.

To report national vulnerabilities or national security concerns, contact ICE’s Counterterrorism and Criminal Exploitation Unit at CTCEU@ice.dhs.gov.

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