Newswise — The American Sociological Association (ASA), representing over 9,000 sociologists in America and abroad, on Thursday, September 25, 2025, submitted a formal letter strongly opposing the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) proposed rule (Docket No. ICEB-2025-0001) that would eliminate Duration of Status (D/S) for international students and replace it with fixed four-year periods. Public comment on Docket No. ICEB-2025-0001 may be submitted here until Monday, September 29, at 11:59 PM Eastern.
The ASA letter states that the proposed rule would create devastating barriers for international PhD students in sociology and other social science disciplines. Since most sociology doctoral programs take six years to complete, the proposed four-year cap would force students into costly annual visa renewals that most cannot afford on graduate student stipends alone. Furthermore, the ASA letter warns that the rule would create complex bureaucratic hurdles, resulting in processing delays and a constant risk of status termination, which would hinder the academic progress of international students. ASA argues this approach is particularly harmful to the social sciences, where exposure to diverse global perspectives is essential for addressing worldwide social problems.
“The rule would harm our universities’ international reputation and deter brilliant minds from choosing American graduate programs, reducing America’s ability to attract global talent. If our universities are unable to compete for the world’s best students, we will see a decline in the overall quality of our PhD programs in sociology and the social sciences,” the letter states.
ASA urges DHS to rescind the proposal and maintain current D/S policies without modification, emphasizing that preserving America’s role as an intellectual powerhouse requires supporting academic freedom and attracting diverse talent from across the globe. Both ASA President Shelley J. Correll and ASA Executive Director Heather M. Washington signed the letter on behalf of the Association.
The full letter detailing ASA’s position is available here.
About the American Sociological Association
The American Sociological Association, founded in 1905, is a nonprofit membership association dedicated to serving sociologists in their work, advancing sociology as a science and profession, and promoting the contributions to and use of sociology by society. For media inquiries, please contact the ASA Communications Department at communications@asanet.org.
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