DHS beams over SEVIS

Abstract

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) praised the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), saying it is a significant improvement over the paper-based system it replaced. SEVIS tracks foreign students, keeping tabs on whether they arrive in the United States, their location, and their academic progress. According to a spokesperson from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), one of the departments that oversees SEVIS, the system has led to 1,881 investigations and 187 arrests of students who did not show up for academic programs, were expelled or suspended from those programs, or did not maintain a full course load. A recent report from the Government Accountability Office noted that problems with the system persist, such as slow response from help desk staff, but the ICE spokesperson said that several technology upgrades and fixes have addressed some of those problem areas.

Download Resources