Trump inauguration: US universities urge international students to return amid travel ban fears

Dubai: Several US universities are urging international students to return to campus before the January 20, 2025, inauguration, anticipating potential travel and visa restrictions under President-elect Donald Trump's administration, CNN reports.

More than 1.1 million international students, including thousands of Indians, are enrolled for the 2023-24 academic year. Trump, who has pledged stricter immigration policies, may reintroduce measures such as travel bans and visa restrictions. Non-immigrant visas, typically held by international students, allow them to study in the US but do not provide a pathway to permanent residency.

According to CNN, prominent institutions such as New York University (NYU), Cornell University, and the University of Southern California (USC) have issued warnings to students currently abroad, urging them to return before the inauguration.

Concerns include potential executive orders similar to those from Trump’s first term, such as a travel ban targeting predominantly Muslim countries and visa revocations for individuals deemed “anti-American.”

Cornell University’s Office of Global Learning advised students in late November to return before January 20 or consult with advisors about travel plans to avoid disruptions. The office warned that a travel ban could extend to countries targeted during Trump’s first term, including Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, and Yemen, with the possibility of new additions, such as India and China.

Similarly, USC’s Office of International Services recommended students return by January 13, citing concerns over executive orders impacting travel and visa processing. During Trump’s first term, a travel ban targeting seven predominantly Muslim countries left thousands of international students stranded.

According to Open Doors, a US State Department-supported data initiative, Indian students form the largest group of international students in the US, followed by Chinese and South Korean students. Together, Indian and Chinese students make up more than half of the international student population.

Universities have stressed their uncertainty about Trump’s upcoming immigration policies but are taking proactive measures to safeguard their students. The warnings underscore growing concerns in higher education about potential disruptions under the new administration.

In January 2017, Trump banned travel from seven Muslim-majority countries, later expanding the ban to 15 nations, affecting over 40,000 visas, before Biden rescinded it in 2021.

Over 1.1 million international students enrolled in US universities in 2023-24, with concerns rising about further travel restrictions due to geopolitical tensions.

Trump plans to revive and expand the travel ban with ideological screenings and revoke student visas for those involved in anti-American or anti-Semitic protests.

Universities like Harvard, MIT, Cornell, and USC urge international students to return before Inauguration Day to avoid disruptions and potential travel bans.