International students at the University of California, San Diego are grappling with increased challenges following the Donald Trump Administration 2.0’s crackdown on visa policies.
As reported by the Associated Press, one Ph.D. student, who had planned a summer trip to Hawaii with friends, decided to cancel the getaway after seeing fellow international students across the US lose their legal immigration status.
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Even domestic travel, they felt, carried too much uncertainty and risk to be worth it.
“I probably am going to skip that to … have as few interactions with governments as possible,” said the student, who spoke on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted, as reported by the Associated Press.
Even before the recent wave of sudden visa terminations, some U.S. colleges had already begun urging international students and faculty to delay travel plans. Their warnings were rooted in growing concerns over government actions targeting students involved in pro-Palestinian activism, including potential deportation efforts.
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As reports of widespread immigration status revocations have surfaced in recent weeks, many institutions have now strengthened their advisories, warning international students to avoid non-essential travel abroad due to the risk of not being allowed back into the country.
What’s happening at the University of California?
The University of California, Berkeley issued an advisory last week warning that international travel now carries significant risk due to heightened “strict vetting and enforcement” measures by federal authorities, AP reported.
According to an Associated Press review of university statements, official correspondence, and court records, at least 1,220 international students across 187 colleges, universities, and university systems have had their visas revoked or legal status terminated since late March—a sweeping crackdown that has alarmed students and institutions alike.
The number of affected students appears far higher, though. At least 4,736 international students’ visa records were terminated in a government database that maintains their legal status, according to an April 10 Immigration and Customs Enforcement response to inquiries from Congress, said the report.
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Faced with sudden threats of deportation, some international students chose to go into hiding, while others voluntarily left the country. Many of them reported having only minor infractions on their records—or claimed they were given no clear explanation for the revocation of their legal status.
The growing uncertainty surrounding visa enforcement has left one international student at the University of Illinois in a state of deep anxiety. AP reported that the student, who requested anonymity out of fear of being targeted, has kept a “low profile” ever since a classmate was forced to leave the US after losing their legal status.
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Now facing a planned trip home to Asia this summer, the student is torn between obligation and fear. Although he has already purchased his ticket and has no alternative place to stay, the thought of not being allowed back into the country fills him with dread.
“Right now,” he said, “I’m afraid I might not be able to come back.”
Under the new policy, valid reasons for status termination include the revocation of the visas students used to enter the US. In the past, if a student’s visa was revoked, they generally could stay in the US to finish school, AP reported.
(With inputs from Associated Press)
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