International students previously drawn to the U.S. for academic freedom now face anxiety and restrictions due to evolving immigration policies, leading some to reconsider their educational journeys.
Challenges for International Students as U.S. Immigration Policies Shift
Challenges for International Students as U.S. Immigration Policies Shift
New reports reveal that changing immigration policies under the Trump administration are creating uncertainty and fear among international students studying in the United States.
Article Text:
Hassan Kamal Wattoo, a 25-year-old law student from Pakistan, initially saw his scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, as an escape from governmental oppression back home. For months, he had received threatening calls from authorities angered by his articles critiquing their policies. However, the wave of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration has dimmed his American dream.
Once a revered haven for international scholars, American universities have become sites of tension for many foreign students. Wattoo spoke about the recent detentions of noncitizen students who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations and how one woman was arrested for speaking against Israel's actions in Gaza. Additionally, the sudden cancelation of hundreds of student visas without explanation has left many in fear of their status in the U.S.
Reflecting on his experiences, Wattoo observed, “That respect in the American system has kind of faded away and been replaced with this bitter animosity.” This change is in stark contrast to the freedom and safety he once sought in the U.S. where scholarly expression was encouraged.
Following an outreach by The New York Times, numerous international students shared their experiences regarding how the administration's policies have impacted their lives. Out of 150 respondents, many expressed concerns about travel plans, citing fear of reentry into the U.S. after breaks. Others revealed they have chosen to remain silent on pressing social issues, consciously avoiding participation in movements that could catch the government's attention, such as those advocating for Palestinian rights, labor rights, or disability rights.
With fears mounting, Wattoo plans to return to Pakistan after graduation—a decision driven not only by his experiences but also by concerns for his family's safety back home. “I wanted to run away from these tactics my whole life, only to see them repeated in the land where I hoped for freedom,” he lamented.
As the landscape of American education transforms under political pressures, many international students are left grappling with their future and the ideals that once drew them to study in the United States.
Hassan Kamal Wattoo, a 25-year-old law student from Pakistan, initially saw his scholarship to the University of California, Berkeley, as an escape from governmental oppression back home. For months, he had received threatening calls from authorities angered by his articles critiquing their policies. However, the wave of immigration enforcement under the Trump administration has dimmed his American dream.
Once a revered haven for international scholars, American universities have become sites of tension for many foreign students. Wattoo spoke about the recent detentions of noncitizen students who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations and how one woman was arrested for speaking against Israel's actions in Gaza. Additionally, the sudden cancelation of hundreds of student visas without explanation has left many in fear of their status in the U.S.
Reflecting on his experiences, Wattoo observed, “That respect in the American system has kind of faded away and been replaced with this bitter animosity.” This change is in stark contrast to the freedom and safety he once sought in the U.S. where scholarly expression was encouraged.
Following an outreach by The New York Times, numerous international students shared their experiences regarding how the administration's policies have impacted their lives. Out of 150 respondents, many expressed concerns about travel plans, citing fear of reentry into the U.S. after breaks. Others revealed they have chosen to remain silent on pressing social issues, consciously avoiding participation in movements that could catch the government's attention, such as those advocating for Palestinian rights, labor rights, or disability rights.
With fears mounting, Wattoo plans to return to Pakistan after graduation—a decision driven not only by his experiences but also by concerns for his family's safety back home. “I wanted to run away from these tactics my whole life, only to see them repeated in the land where I hoped for freedom,” he lamented.
As the landscape of American education transforms under political pressures, many international students are left grappling with their future and the ideals that once drew them to study in the United States.
