Amid much uproar from schools nationwide, the Trump administration has stepped back from its plan to force international students to leave the United States if their universities switch to an online format due to the coronavirus pandemic. A U.S. district judge announced the reversal during a Tuesday hearing for a lawsuit filed by Harvard University and...
The Washington Report
The Washington Report
Cruel and unimaginable: South Bay students, universities react to policy changes for international students
An abrupt change this week to the policies governing international students in the United States has sent students and universities in Silicon Valley scrambling to make sense of the new rules. “It’s almost unimaginable; the cruelty of this decision,” said Susan Popko, the associate provost for international programs at Santa Clara University. “We are outraged...
Silicon Valley’s congressional leaders condemn Supreme Court ruling on birth control
Silicon Valley’s congressional delegation has rebuked the Supreme Court’s Wednesday ruling that upheld the Trump administration’s right to allow employers and universities with moral or religious objections to opt out of the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to provide coverage for contraceptives. In a statement to San José Spotlight, Rep. Zoe Lofgren of San Jose decried...
Rep. Anna Eshoo speaks out on mental health amid COVID-19
With the coronavirus pandemic fueling stress and anxiety, U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo of Palo Alto said this week that it’s critical for citizens to have access to mental health resources. “In any given year, one in five adults experience a mental health illness such as depression, anxiety or bipolar disorder, but 2020 has been a...
Silicon Valley Rep. Ro Khanna to lead California’s delegation at the DNC
California Democrats selected Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna to co-lead the state’s delegation at the Democratic National Convention in August. “I’m proud to be co-leading the California delegation…” Khanna wrote Sunday on his Twitter page. “It should be clear that delegates stand for Medicare for All, free public college, an end to bloated military budgets...
Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna talks police reform, COVID-19
Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna kicked off his virtual town hall on Thursday afternoon with an important update about the Justice in Policing Act. “We passed it today in the House; it passed overwhelmingly,” he said. The Justice in Policing Act is a set of sweeping reforms intended to resolve systemic racism in law enforcement....
Silicon Valley leaders applaud Supreme Court narrowly upholding DACA for now
South Bay leaders on Thursday applauded the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowly upheld the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), providing relief to hundreds of thousands of people brought to the country illegally or lost their legal status as children. With conservative Chief Justice John Roberts providing the majority opinion alongside the liberal minority...
Silicon Valley congressional leaders tackle racism in law enforcement
During a recent House Judiciary Committee hearing, George Floyd’s younger brother implored representatives to enact law enforcement reforms that will protect minorities from police brutality. “I couldn’t take care of George that day he was killed, but maybe by speaking with you today I can make sure that his death will not be in vain;...
Silicon Valley leaders react to coronavirus threat as Congress reaches $8.3B funding agreement
WASHINGTON, D.C. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday declared a state of emergency, as the number of coronavirus cases in the state continues to rise, including in Santa Clara County — where health officials confirmed there are three new cases of the virus within county limits, bringing the total cases to 14. While the state of...
San Jose mayor leads municipal opposition of FCC mandate
WASHINGTON, D.C. — San Jose is among nearly two dozen cities that have opposed the Federal Communications Commission for orders it issued under the premise of facilitating the launch of 5G communication technology. In a call with reporters last week, officials from around the country said the FCC’s orders on small-cell deployment amount to federal...