WASHINGTON: As US President-elect Donald Trump gears up to return to the White House, his upcoming inauguration in January 2025 has sparked concern, particularly among colleges and universities, regarding potential changes to US immigration policies.
Universities across the country have issued advisories to international students, urging them to plan their travel carefully amid expectations of stricter regulations under the new administration, CNN reported.
Donald Trump won a second term as President of the United States after securing 312 electoral votes in the 2024 presidential election, defeating Democratic rival Kamala Harris, who garnered 226 votes. He will officially be sworn in for his second term as US President on January 20.
As per the findings on international students by the US Department of State, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs on November 18, 1,126,690 international students from more than 210 places of origin studied at US higher education institutions during the 2023-2024 academic year, a 7 per cent increase from the previous academic year.
Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, Cornell University’s Office of Global Learning on its website said that the immigration landscape is likely to change under the new presidential administration and advised international students to return prior to the start of the next semester, which begins on January 21 next year or to “communicate with an advisor about your travel plans and be prepared for delays”.
“A travel ban is likely to go into effect soon after inauguration. The ban is likely to include citizens of the countries targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. New countries could be added to this list, particularly China and India. International students and scholars from outside of these “areas of concern” are not likely to be affected by a travel ban or targeted visa suspension. People who are not citizens of these countries but are in transit through them to the US are unlikely to be affected”, Cornell University’s Office of Global Learning said.
It added, “It is a good idea for international students, faculty, and staff from the above countries to be back in the US in advance of the semester, which begins January 21, 2025. If this is not possible (e.g., for scheduled fieldwork), communicate with an advisor about your travel plans and be prepared for delays”.
USC Annenberg Media, a student-led media site, reported that the University of Southern California Office of International Service warned international students that “the safest way to avoid any challenges” related to travel is to be “physically present in the US before the spring semester starts January 13”.
In an email to the international students, the University of Southern California wrote, “This is especially important given that a new presidential administration will take office on January 20, 2025, and – as is common – may issue one or more Executive Orders impacting travel to the US and visa processing. While there’s no certainty such orders will be issued, the safest way to avoid any challenges is to be physically present in the US before the Spring semester begins on January 13, 2025.”
Following the Presidential elections result, UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy on November 6 in a message to the students said that the 2024 presidential election result raises profound questions for immigrant communities across the United States.
“The incoming Trump administration’s policies and rhetoric will have lasting effects on millions of immigrants, including those who are part of the University of California (UC) as students, staff, and faculty. UC policy provides that the University will not release immigration status or related information in confidential student records … without a judicial warrant, a subpoena, a court order, or as otherwise required by law,” UCLA said.
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology urged students to “avoid making decisions based on social media and news reports or rumours that predict new policies/regulations”. The university also advised the students to assess their travel plans over the winter break.
“The new administration will be sworn in on January 20, 2025, and new Executive Orders that may impact travel and visa processing may be implemented on or after that date. Students who would need to apply for a new entry visa at the US Embassy/Consulate abroad in order to return to the US in their student status should assess the possibility of facing any extensive processing times and have a backup plan if they must travel abroad and wait for a new entry visa to be issued. Any processing delays could impact students’ ability to return to the US as planned,” it stated.
The Northeastern University’s Office of the Global Services in post-US-election travel recommendations to the international community on November 22 advised the students that in order “to minimise potential disruption to your studies, work, or research, we strongly recommend returning to the US no later than January 6, 2025, the start of Northeastern’s Winter/Spring academic term.”
Harvard University’s International Office advised students to “budget time ahead of the semester start, prior to the January Martin Luther King holiday” to avoid disruptions or delays while returning from winter break.
Trump during his presidential campaign in 2024, Trump promised to tackle various domestic issues, including immigration and inflation. He has indicated a return to his “America First” foreign policy. He had also confirmed that he would declare a national emergency to carry out mass deportations of migrants living in the US without legal permission.
Meanwhile, the reaction of President-elect Trump has also reflected the concerns of the universities ahead of his tenure. In response to a social media post from Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton, who said on November 9 that there are reports the incoming administration is preparing such a declaration and to use “military assets” to deport the migrants. Responding to a social media post from Fitton, Trump said, “TRUE.” (ANI)