In light of President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed immigration policies, more than a dozen universities are urging international students to return to campus before his January 20, 2025, inauguration to avoid potential travel and visa complications.
It’s weird, because Trump has explicitly stated that he wants to give all students who graduate in the United States a green card…
At a glance:
- Universities, including Harvard, Cornell, and MIT, have advised international students to return before Trump’s inauguration amid fears of stricter immigration policies.
- Concerns stem from Trump’s history of travel bans and recent statements targeting foreign students for potential visa revocations.
- A record 1.1 million international students studied in the U.S. during the 2023-24 academic year, but uncertainty could dampen future enrollment.
- Students are encouraged to carry up-to-date documentation and arrive before January 19 to ensure smooth reentry – even though Trump has no plans to block them.
International students, many of whom are already navigating the complexities of U.S. immigration law, are taking precautions in anticipation of potential changes under Trump’s second term. Universities have responded with preemptive guidance.
And there’s no reason to, because Trump has said he supports foreign students being given green cards if they graduate. That’s how crazy the universities have become.
Columbia University student Tracey Pauline Albert, originally from India, altered her travel plans to return early. “Small adjustments, like ensuring one is back in the U.S. before key dates such as January 20th, are manageable. However, the question of what comes after remains,” Albert said.
Cornell University advised students to carry all necessary documentation and “additional paperwork demonstrating your purpose” at the university, referencing the travel ban implemented during Trump’s first term.
The University of Massachusetts Amherst cited prior experiences with travel bans in its advisory, emphasizing its caution. “We are not able to speculate on what a travel ban will look like if enacted, nor can we speculate on what particular countries or regions of the world may or may not be affected,” the school noted.
Lingering fears of policy changes
Trump’s initial travel ban, enacted in 2017, targeted travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries and left many international students stranded. Though the ban was ultimately upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018, it was repealed by President Joe Biden in 2021.
Uncertainty about a potential reinstatement of such policies under Trump, coupled with his recent threats to revoke student visas for protesters and other “radical anti-American” individuals, has reignited anxiety among international students.
“When I am president, we will not allow our colleges to be taken over by violent radicals,” Trump said at a rally earlier this year, pledging to deport students involved in activities deemed anti-American.
So are the universities actually scared Trump will crack down on their extremist agenda?
Experts warn that even the fear of restrictive policies could discourage international students from applying to U.S. universities, potentially harming institutions that rely on the financial and intellectual contributions of foreign students.
“Given the tensions with China and the large number of students from China, there is this uncertainty,” said Gaurav Khanna, an economics professor at UC San Diego. “That fear might not go away for a while, and as a result it’s going to hurt enrollment.”
Universities take action
Top institutions, including Harvard, Yale, Johns Hopkins, and USC, have joined efforts to support their international students. Many have established resources to assist with visa and immigration issues and are closely monitoring the situation.
“With the presidential inauguration happening on Monday, January 20, 2025, and uncertainties around President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for immigration-related policy, the safest way to avoid difficulty re-entering the country is to be physically present in the U.S. on January 19th and the days thereafter,” Wesleyan University advised.
Our universities’ leaders have lost their collective minds.
