IMPORTANT IMMIGRATION UPDATE
On September 15, 2026, a new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rule will go into effect that will significantly impact F-1/J-1 students, alumni, and J-1 scholars. OGS is currently updating this webpage with guidance based on this new rule. Therefore, some content on this page may be outdated as of September 15, 2026. Please review our Guidance on the New DHS Rule for the most up-to-date information.
Deferred Enforced Departure (DED)
Deferred Enforced Departure (DED) is a temporary, discretionary protection authorized by the President of the United States. It allows certain individuals from specific countries experiencing political, social, or natural crises to remain in the U.S. and avoid deportation/removal for a specific period of time.
- Overview of DED eligible countries
- National immigration Forum’s Fact Sheet: Deferred Enforced Departure
OGS recommends that students who have questions about DED work with an immigration attorney. If you are eligible for DED and need to discuss how to continue to maintain your F-1/J-1 status, please schedule an appointment with a Designated School Official/DSO (F-1 students) or Alternate Responsible Officer/ARO (J-1 Students) by calling +1-617-373-2310 or stopping by the Boston campus at 354 Richards Hall.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
The designation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) is the Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s decision to provide specific protections to eligible nationals of certain countries (or parts of countries) who are already inside the United States. An application for TPS must be filed with USCIS.
TPS is a personal petition to USCIS, thus OGS recommends that students who wish to apply for TPS work with an immigration attorney. If you have a successful TPS petition and need to discuss how to continue to maintain your F-1/J-1 status, please schedule an appointment with a Designated School Official/DSO (F-1 students) or Alternate Responsible Officer/ARO (J-1 Students) by calling +1-617-373-2310 or stopping by the Boston campus at 354 Richards Hall.
USCIS Review of Publicly Available Social Media
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may review publicly available social media content in connection with certain applications. This may include applications submitted by F-1 students for benefits such as OPT, STEM OPT Extension, TPS, etc. These reviews are intended to support eligibility verification and national security screening. For more, visit USCIS.gov.