During his campaign, former President Donald Trump introduced an idea aiming to keep America as a global knowledge hub: granting green cards to every foreign student graduating from U.S. colleges. He expressed, during a podcast, his dismay at highly competent graduates departing the country, an issue he promised would be resolved on “Day One.” However, this plan never materialized. Instead, his administration’s policies began to severely impact international students, intertwining a stringent immigration policy with a new strategy for overhauling higher education.
A barrage of measures emerged under the Trump administration, including ceasing students’ ability to study in the U.S., stopping new student visa discussions, and attempting to halt non-U.S. student enrolment at prestigious institutions like Harvard, thereby instigating legal proceedings and causing misunderstandings. Many foreign students have recounted experiences of being targeted. On a recent occasion, Trump imposed a restriction disallowing nearly all foreign nationals from entering to attend Harvard, which a federal judge shortly blocked.
Global students voiced their concerns about the current atmosphere they endure while studying in the U.S. Many feel heightened anxiety, diverting their focus from studies and compelling them to cancel plans to visit their home countries due to fears of being denied readmission into the U.S. Consequently, some are reevaluating their aims of establishing a life in America.
For instance, Markuss Saule, a freshman at Brigham Young University-Idaho from Latvia, experienced palpable dread during a recent flight back to the U.S. He had painstakingly cleansed his phone, eradicating any politically related content that might draw unwanted attention. Saule, a potential future business analyst, describes the fear overshadowing his aspirations which were once grounded in America’s promise. He now perceives his dreams of staying and building a life here as shattered, planning with his fiancee to graduate early and relocate to Europe.
The Trump administration abruptly revoked study permissions for thousands of international students but later backtracked, with a federal judge staving off further terminations. Yet, the uncertainty endures, compelling students like Saule to regard themselves as dispensable.
Likewise, Avi, an Indian physics graduate, finds his future in the U.S. veering into ambiguity. Although his visa remains valid, he is surrounded by pervasive uncertainty. His dreams of employment at NASA or an affiliated national lab are clouded by concern over policy changes that could undermine his ability to work. Consequently, his daily routine feels more precarious, and he has widened his employment search to include opportunities internationally.
Another student, Vladyslav Plyaka from Ukraine, chose American academia over returning to his conflict-ridden homeland. With U.S. visa appointments suspended, Plyaka faces being anchored in the country longer than expected, reflecting on the sacrifices made for his education and the ongoing distress due to the volatile situation back home.
These stories from international students paint a picture of significant emotional and practical challenges, stemming from the interplay of U.S. policy shifts and their aspirations. The hopes fostered by promises of open opportunities and integration have met the stark realities of regulatory barriers and the necessity for recalibrated plans amidst prevailing uncertainty.