ADVOCATE THE
T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M
BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA
|
W e d n e s d ay, a p r i l 23, 2025
$2.00X
Fields questions revoked visas
2025 LEGISLATURE EDUCATION
Bill would tie funding to school attendance
Congressman wants review of action taken against SU students
BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer
A Louisiana congressman is demanding that the Trump administration explain why it recently revoked the visas of several international students at Southern University. In a letter Tuesday to federal officials, U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, called for “an immediate review and explanation” of the visa terminations at Southern, a historically Black university in Baton Rouge. The international students at Southern were among more than a dozen at universities across Louisiana whose visas were revoked in recent weeks without explanation as part Fields of the Trump administration’s targeting of foreign-born students studying in the U.S. In his letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons, Fields demanded a “transparent explanation” for the revocations, including any alleged violations by the students that prompted the actions. He also called on the federal agencies to consider reinstating the students’ visas “pending a full investigation,” and to ensure that all actions by immigration authorities follow due process. “The sudden termination of these students’ legal status without clear justification not only threatens their academic careers but also
STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
Critics warn it could unfairly penalize financially strapped systems BY ELYSE CARMOSINO
Staff writer
As Louisiana continues to grapple with high rates of student absenteeism, a lawmaker wants to push districts to tackle the issue by tying funding to student attendance so that schools with low attendance rates would get less money. Currently, public school districts receive funding based on how many students they serve and those students’ needs. House Bill 185 by Rep. Barbara Freiberg, R-Baton Rouge, would instead
“The goal is to get districts more involved in making sure that students are there daily.”
students who miss too much school. But critics warn it could unfairly penalize financially strapped school systems and make it more difficult to address the root REP. BARBARA FREIBERG, causes of absenteeism, which experts say often stem from issues outside of R-Baton Rouge school. Nearly one in four Louisiana students give schools money based on attendance was chronically absent last year, accorddata that districts collect daily. ing to state data. The absenteeism rate, Proponents argue the proposal, which defined as students who miss 10% or is loosely modeled on policies in other more of a school year, grew three perstates, will encourage districts to do ä See BILL, page 4A more to reduce the growing number of
ä See FIELDS, page 4A
Pope’s funeral set for Saturday INSIDE The Argentine pontiff, who had Francis thankful he been recovering after being hosfor five weeks with pneu- ä Unlike his predecessor, Francis made Easter greeting, pitalized monia, died Monday at age 88. He believed papacy was for life. Page 6A Vatican News reports made his last public appearance ä Pope Francis converted to
Sunday, delivering a blessing and looping around Vatican City’s famous square in his popemobile. Francis initially had doubts Associated Press about the ride, Vatican News reVATICAN CITY — Pope Francis was ported. “Do you think I can manthankful that he was able to greet age it?” the pope asked Massimilthrongs of people in St. Peter’s iano Strappetti, his personal health Square on Easter, a day before he care assistant, according to the died, though he initially had some news agency. doubts given his poor health, VatiThe pope was reassured, and he stopped to reach out to people, can News reported Tuesday.
BY NICOLE WINFIELD and COLLEEN BARRY
WEATHER HIGH 85 LOW 68
#
$!
PAGE 12A
environmental cause. Page 7A
especially children, as he was driven through the crowd of 50,000 — the first time since his release from the hospital that he had mixed with the faithful at large. Afterward, Francis told Strappetti, “Thank you for bringing me back to the
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANCISCO SECO
ä See POPE, page 6A Pilgrims arrive in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican on Tuesday.
Business ......................3B Commentary ................7B Nation-World................2A Classified .....................7D Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................6B Comics-Puzzles .....4D-6D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C
"
,)" '&# ' ( &# # 0+* ( -+ &# # /!*% $-.,)" ,
& "/#! #! 0/ 0 . - () "!2!%+&0! ! !% &0 3, '!&+) ' &) *$&1 .!2-
100TH yEAR, NO. 297