The Universities of Wisconsin have continued to review federal legislative actions, regulatory changes, and Presidential executive orders which may impact our universities, our collective missions, and the Wisconsin Idea. Since January 2025, several directives from the Trump Administration to federal agencies have resulted in the wrongful termination of approved, federally-funded projects. Together, the Office of General Counsel, the Office of Legal Affairs at UW-Madison, and the Office of Legal Affairs at UW-Milwaukee have worked with state partners to pursue legal challenges to some of these terminations and the dismantling of certain federal agencies. To read more and review the lawsuits and submitted declarations, read the Universities of Wisconsin Litigation Update.
Student Loan Borrower Support Reminder to Universities
The U.S. Department of Education issued a ‘Dear Colleague Letter’ to universities reminding them of their shared responsibility under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) to support student loan borrowers. Read the Department of Education news release announcing the guidance.
House Committee on Education and the Workforce Markup
Earlier this Spring, the House and Senate adopted a concurrent budget resolution, which set forth a path for the chambers to work on a budget reconciliation bill. That process began in earnest this week with various House Committees meeting to markup their contributions to the overall bill. Additional markups are expected as soon as next week.
Of particular interest, the House Committee on Education and Workforce met to mark up their legislation, the Student Success and Savings Plan, on April 29, 2025. Among several provisions, the legislation makes several changes to student loans, Pell Grant eligibility, and includes a risk sharing proposal that was previously included as part of the College Cost Reduction Act in the last session of Congress.
Should you wish to review the legislation, the section-by-section authored by the Committee Majority and a Committee Minority fact sheet may be helpful; the bill text the committee voted on can be found here.
The legislative process will continue to play out over the coming weeks with other committees advancing their legislation before they are combined prior to consideration on the House floor. We remain actively engaged with Congressional stakeholders and our national associations to share concerns and opportunities for improvement.
New! FAQs for International Students, Faculty, and Staff
We’ve added new FAQs addressing visa revocation, immigration staff actions, study abroad, student degree and enrollment, and travel. See those updated FAQs on our International Student, Faculty & Staff Resources page.
This week, President Trump signed a series of executive orders related to education. These orders include an examination of accreditation and Section 117 reporting requirements. The Universities of Wisconsin continue to review these orders, and as there are details to share on these – or any other orders – information will be disseminated via the university’s federal updates workgroup representative.
Advocacy Updates
The Universities of Wisconsin continue to engage with Members of Congress – including the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation – and through our national associations on additional issues of importance and concern to our universities. In advance of Congress considering budget reconciliation legislation in the coming weeks, these efforts have included discussions regarding the criticality of federal financial aid and fully funding research agencies, among other topics. Further updates continue to be shared with designated university legislative liaisons, who are engaged in similar efforts both state and federally as appropriate.
Follow Legal Challenges on Litigation Tracker
You can track legal challenges to the administration’s executive orders and administrative actions on the Just Security litigation tracker.
New! FAQs for International Students on Visas, LRPs, and SEVISs
We’ve added new FAQs addressing visa revocation/LPR status rescission, SEVIS record termination, and federal agent request for access to location, information, or records on our International Student, Faculty & Staff Resources page.
Department of Energy Indirect Costs
As noted above, late last week, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced plans to “limit financial support of “indirect costs” of DOE research funding to 15%.”
Importantly, however, on April 16, Judge Burroughs of the District Court for Massachusetts granted a Temporary Restraining Order in the litigation that had been filed in opposition to the previously announced DOE plan.
President Rothman letter to WI Delegation on Student Financial Aid
UW President Jay Rothman sent a letter to Wisconsin’s congressional delegation dated April 9, 2025, expressing the UWs concern over any potential impact on student financial aid as a result of the budget and reconciliation process.
New! FAQs for International Students/Faculty/Staff on Travel
We’ve added new FAQs addressing travel outside the U.S. on our International Student, Faculty & Staff Resources page. We will continue to add information to this page regarding travel, visas, and rights for our international audience.
In addition to the letter above, and as noted in past newsletter additions, the Universities of Wisconsin continue to engage with Members of Congress – including the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation – and through our national associations on additional issues of importance and concern to our universities. For example, the following letter to the Departments of State and Homeland Security from the higher education community may also be of interest. Further updates continue to be shared with designated university legislative liaisons, who are engaged in similar efforts both state and federally as appropriate.
President Rothman letter to WI Delegation on Student Financial Aid
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UW President Jay Rothman sent a letter to Wisconsin’s congressional delegation dated April 9, 2025, expressing the UWs concern over the potential impact on cuts to student financial aid.
Information Regarding Agents Visiting Universities
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GUIDANCE FOR INTERACTING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER AGENTS*
Updated: 2/17/2026
The Universities of Wisconsin will comply with all applicable laws and are committed to cooperating with law enforcement within the constraints of the law and our own delegated responsibilities.
The Universities of Wisconsin are committed to maintaining a safe and inclusive environment that facilitates university operations and our universities’ respective missions, including students’ ability to access education without disruption.
The Universities of Wisconsin strive to create environments that protect privacy and rights of students, faculty, and staff under the law.
The Universities of Wisconsin provides information on the immigration status of its students, faculty, or staff only when required by law.
The Universities of Wisconsin continue to closely monitor federal immigration policies and enforcement that may affect our students, faculty, and staff.
Frequently asked questions
Public Safety
Campuspolice departments have procedures and practices they follow related to immigrationenforcement, andcampus police officers will not detain or arrest an individual solely based on a suspected violation of immigration law and will not routinely inquire about an individual’s immigration status.
No. Campus police departments do not participate in federal immigration enforcement actions.Federal agents must use appropriate legal processes if they are on campus andwish to contact individual students about enforcement-related issues.
No. An individual’s immigration status does not determine whethercampus police departments will providecampus and community safety-related services and will only be relevant if theindividual is involved in serious crimes.An individual’s immigration status does not affect their ability to file a police report with campus police departments.
Universities do not normally issue alerts based simply on the presence of federal, state or local law enforcement on a campus. Universities’ emergency notification systems are defined by federal law and regulations.
These emergency notification systems are designed to provide information about an immediate, actively occurring, and confirmed emergency situation on a campus (or an actively occurring threat that’s heading towards the campus) that requires the community to take immediate action in order to stay safe.
Using such emergency notification systems other than as required by law and in compliance with university policies can subject the universities to federal investigation and significant penalties.
If an incident becomes an immediate threat to the health or safety of students or employees on a campus, a campus emergency notification would be issued.
A sighting of, or an arrest by, federal law enforcement on campus does not necessitate a call to 911 or a campus police department non-emergency line. The only exception is if one of the below criteria apply:
Your physical safety, or that of someone else, is in immediate jeopardy
There is civil disorder or a likelihood of violence
Destruction of property is occurring
Federal agents access to campus spaces
Generally, no.Federal agents are generally able to access public spaces. However, access to non-public spacesrequirea judicial warrant. See below for further information on public and non-public spaces.
Take the following steps:
Be respectful.
Take enough time to think through and formulate your answers.
Ask the federal agent for their name and to see their government issued badge. Most likely the federal agent will show you their badge without you asking. If not, it is your right to ask for this.
Ask the federal agent why they are on campus, if they have not shared that information already.
Ask the federal agent to have a seat in a waiting room or lobby. If you do not have such a space, politely ask them to wait where they are while you try to reach the proper contacts.
Call your campus police department. Tell campus police the following information: “Agent X from the Department of Y is here to talk to me about Z.”
Do not leave a voicemail message with campus police.
Notify your supervisor if not already notified.
If no one from your campus police department is available, tell the federal agent that no one is available right now.
Ask the federal agent if they can come back another time.
Do not give the federal agent access to any paper files or access to any computer systems.
Do not give your consent to enter a non-public area
If the federal agent seeks to enter non-public areas, if asked, inform the officer that you do not have the authority to consent to entry or searches of non-public areas.
Federal agents are free to enter any public areas of your workplace but must have a valid judicial warrant to enter a non-public area.
If federal agents disregard your instructions or requests, do not interfere with their actions.
If federal agents act—with or without awaiting guidance from you or others at the campus and regardless of whether they have presented a judicial warrant—it is important that you do not intervene or block their movement, as obstructing or otherwise interfering with law enforcement activity can be a crime.
If the federalagent approaches a student worker first, the student should immediately get their supervisor. If their supervisor is not available, the student worker should contact a divisional HR representative
Campus policewill ask the caller to describe the encounter in detail and review the contents of the judicial warrant or any other legal document that is presented to the employee. Campus police also have 24/7 access to attorneys from the Office of General Counsel (OGC) and will likely involve anOGC attorney in any such review.
Public versus non-public areas
Federal agents are free to enter any public areas of your workplace butgenerally must have a valid judicial warrant to enter a non-public area.
Employees may say to the federal agent, “I am not authorized to give you consent to enter or accept legal documents,” and contact campus police as directed above.
As a public institution, many areas within the campus and its facilities are open to the public. Generally, federalagents are authorized by law to enter public spaces without special permission. Publicareas may include sidewalks; green spaces; parking lots and ramps; and lobby, waiting, or hallway areas that are open to the public. Campus libraries and museums that are open to the general public are also generally considered public areas. Campus events, such as lectures, forums and performances that are free and opento the public, or meetings subject to the Wisconsin Open Meetings law are also generally deemed to be public areas.
Some campus areas, such as faculty, staff and student offices, residence halls, laboratories, and areas accessible only by a key or key card, are not open to the public without permission.
Classrooms are also non-public areas unless the classroom is hosting an event open to the public. Other non-public areas would include areas only available to employees or individuals with an employee escort, areas holding events that require a ticket for admittance, areas only available to university patients or research participants, privately or university-owned vehicles, and other areas as long as there is a reasonable expectation of privacy in that space.
Generally, federalagents may not enter non-public areas without permission from individuals authorized to provide permission on behalf of the university unless the federal agent presents a valid judicial warrant or exigent circumstances are present.
A valid judicial warrant must be signed and dated by a judge. It will include a period within which the search must be conducted, a description of the premises to be searched, and a list of items to be searched for and seized (e.g., payroll records, employee identification documents,etc.).
Most often, federal agents who might come to campus would be acting on civil, not criminal, authority, and generally carry administrative warrants. Administrative warrants are not signed by a judge and do not authorize federal agents to enter non-public areas orto obtain documents or electronic datawithout consent.
Only authorized university officials such as Facilities Planning & Management and/or building managers may affix limited access signage inside campus buildings.
Temporary signs made locally are not allowed .
Signs generally cannot be placed on exterior doors of campus facilities.
The Universities of Wisconsin provide information on the immigration status of its students, faculty, or staff only when required by law.
If asked by a federal agent to provide private information about a student, faculty or staff member, the employee may say “I am not authorized to provide the requested information,” and contact campus police.
No. The Office of General Counsel (OGC)represents the university, including employees acting in their official capacities. OGC does not represent faculty, staff or students in personal legal matters outside the scope of their business as university officials. Individuals needing personal legal assistance may contact the State Bar of Wisconsin Lawyer Referral and Information Service at (608) 257-4666 or (608) 257-3838.
Check back early next week for new FAQs for student visa holders on the Federal Updates page. The FAQs will cover information relating to visa status and non-citizen rights and travel.
Two new Financial Aid FAQs were added to the Federal Update website – both addressing the impact of executive orders on financial aid.
Advocacy Update
The Universities of Wisconsin continue to engage with Members of Congress – including the Wisconsin Congressional Delegation – and through our national associations on issues of importance and concern to our universities ranging from ongoing conversations related to budget reconciliation to potential cuts to research and federal student financial aid. Updates continue to be shared with designated university legislative liaisons, who are engaged in similar efforts both state and federally as appropriate.
The Universities of Wisconsin are aware of the executive order signed on March 20 related to the continuation of the Department of Education. It is our hope that these actions will not impact current funding provided by the Department of Education, including federal student financial aid. The Universities of Wisconsin are working to learn more about the impacts of this action, and as more guidance is provided by relevant authorities, further updates will be shared.
NEW! Resources for International Students, Faculty, and Staff
The Universities of Wisconsin are providing resources for international students, faculty, and staff on the International Students, Faculty, and Staff Resources page. The resources on the site are related to recent federal actions. Visit the Federal Updates website for more information on the federal issues the Universities of Wisconsin and your university are following.
