On Aug. 12, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement sent a memo to all Student and Exchange Visitor Program-certified universities, threatening increased scrutiny of those that do not restrict their authorization of internship eligibility for international students. Just a day after receiving the memo, the Berkeley International Office suspended all course-credit curricular practical training, or CPT, applications “until further notice.” Despite the temporary nature of the suspension, the immediate surrender to yet another round of attacks on international students’ rights is abhorrent. CPT is a program that allows international students on F-1 visas to obtain legal employment in the United States. For F-1 students seeking ordinary off-campus employment while staying enrolled, CPT is the primary avenue for legal work authorization. UC Berkeley’s immediate decision to suspend CPT reflects not strategic self-preservation, but a traceable pattern of passive avoidance — a pitiful displa...