The SORT — June 18: Civil Rights Leaves Ed Dept
Two federal moves announced Tuesday shift where students file civil rights complaints and where thousands of international students' work-authorization cases now stand.
Education Dept Transfers Civil Rights to DOJ, Special Education to HHS
The U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday it will move two major functions to other federal agencies under four new interagency agreements. Civil rights enforcement — which covers discrimination, Title IX, and disability complaints at colleges — will shift to the Department of Justice; the roughly $15.5 billion in annual special education programs managed by OSERS will transfer to the Department of Health and Human Services. The administration called the changes a partnership to reduce bureaucracy, while House appropriators warned the fragmentation could delay federal funding reaching states and schools.
Why it matters: Students and families with civil rights complaints against a college — whether for disability access, Title IX violations, or other discrimination — will file with DOJ rather than the Education Department's OCR going forward.
Source: U.S. Department of Education
OPT Applicants From Travel-Ban Countries Cleared to Proceed — Backlog Remains
A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled the USCIS processing pause for applicants from 39 travel-ban countries unlawful on June 5; final judgment came June 11. International students who filed OPT or STEM OPT extension applications during the seven-month freeze can now have their cases processed — but Inside Higher Ed reported June 16 that a large backlog means many F-1 students remain unable to work legally while USCIS clears the queue. USCIS said it disagrees with the ruling but will comply while pursuing further judicial review.
Why it matters: F-1 students waiting on OPT work authorization should check their USCIS case status now — the legal freeze is over, but elevated wait times persist and may affect summer job starts.
Source: Inside Higher Ed
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