As Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20 approaches, many American universities are advising their international students to return to their campuses before that date.
This recommendation is motivated by fears of the reinstatement of travel bans imposed during his first term, restrictions which had profoundly affected international students, particularly those from countries such as China, Iran, Iraq, Syria and other Muslim-majority nations.
Trump signed an executive order in January 2017 banning nationals from seven countries from entering the United States, leading to major disruptions for students, researchers and other travelers. American authorities subsequently modified this list several times, but these measures caused visa delays and refusals, affecting more than 40,000 individuals. In anticipation of the resumption of these restrictive policies, several prestigious establishments such asHarvard University, MIT and the University of California advise their foreign students to return quickly to avoid any risk.
Jacky Li, a third-year Chinese environmental science student at the University of California at Berkeley, reflects this growing concern: “We know what happened in the previous administration. I'm from China and I know that Trump has put restrictions in place on Chinese students. I booked my plane ticket a few months ago and it doesn't really affect me because I will return before January 20th. » His statement reflects growing concerns among international students who fear complications related to returning to the country.
The situation remains uncertain. Although the Biden administration lifted these restrictions in 2021, there is significant concern about the possibility that Trump will reintroduce bans on certain countries. Students, many of whom rely on their academic visas to remain in the United States, find themselves in a precarious situation, and universities, which serve more than 1.1 million international students, risk suffering considerable economic impact if these restrictions are reinstated.
In a climate of uncertainty, educational establishments, from the East Coast to the West Coast, continue to issue cautionary advice. Some, like Cornell University, have informed their students that restrictions could affect not only countries previously targeted by Trump, but also other nations like China and India. The recommendation to return before the end of the month therefore seems to be necessary as a security measure, even if the Trump government has not yet officially communicated its intentions in terms of migration policy.
