New York is suing President Donald Trump's administration over a policy that could prevent international students from continuing to study in the United States. 

The suit, announced Monday by Attorney General Letitia James, seeks to reverse a policy that would bar international students from studying in the U.S. if they are not registered to take classes in person. 

Most colleges and universities this fall are expected to offer virtual classes and distance learning in order to prevent the spread of coronavirus at campuses. 

The Department of Homeland Security last week moved to bar non-domestic students from traveling to the U.S. if they are not taking classes in a physical classroom. 

“International students should never be used as political fodder to force colleges to reopen their doors, but the president’s inability to remove politics from public health decisions endangers us all,” said James.

“The diversity of our colleges and universities is what makes New York schools among the world’s most competitive and most sought after, but President Trump’s reversal in policy not only threatens these innocent students’ educational paths, but our state’s hard-hit economy and the public health of millions of New Yorkers. Schools should never have to choose between enrolling international students in in-person classes and maintaining public health, which is why we will use every legal tool at our disposal to stop the president.”

The state's public college and university system in March closed its doors as the pandemic began to spread in New York. Classes are expected to resume in the coming weeks, both as a mix of distance learning and in-classroom instruction. 

James in a court filing Monday sought to block the implementation of the policy change on the federal level that would prevent international students from studying in the United States without physically attending classes.

The state argued in the filing the policy is "arbitrary and capricious" and was issued without following proper legal procedures.