Navigating Uncertainty: How Trump’s Inauguration Could Impact International Students and Travel Policies

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — An increasing number of U.S. higher education institutions are encouraging international students to return to campus prior to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, due to apprehensions that he might impose travel restrictions similar to those enacted during his initial term.

Over a dozen universities have disseminated advisories, even though Trump’s intentions remain unclear. At several institutions, the spring semester commences before Trump assumes office, meaning students might need to be back in class regardless. However, for those whose capacity to remain in the United States hinges on an academic visa, they argue it’s prudent to mitigate risks and return to campus before Jan. 20.

Here’s a summary of Trump’s past actions and statements and how educational institutions and students are getting ready for his second term:

What actions did Trump take previously?

In January 2017, Trump signed an executive order prohibiting travel to the U.S. from citizens of seven mainly Muslim nations — Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. Individuals from these countries were either barred from boarding flights or detained upon arrival at U.S. airports. This included students, scholars, business professionals, tourists, and visitors to family and friends.

Later, Trump modified the list by removing some nations and adding others — ultimately affecting 15 countries throughout his presidency. The U.S. State Department reported that over 40,000 individuals were denied visas due to the ban. President Joe Biden reversed these orders upon taking office in 2021.

How are students impacted?

According to Open Doors, a data project partially financed by the U.S. State Department, over 1.1 million international students were registered at U.S. higher education institutions during the 2023-24 academic year. Students from India and China represented over half of all international students in the U.S., with approximately 43,800 originating from the 15 countries impacted by Trump’s travel bans.

Jacky Li, a third-year environmental studies student at the University of California, Berkeley, is scheduled to travel home to China on Dec. 21 and return on Jan. 16. Although he arranged his trip months prior to the advisory from Berkeley officials, he noted increasing anxiety among international students.

“There’s concern that this type of restriction could escalate into a broader issue, considering the current geopolitical tensions globally, so anxiety is definitely present,” Li expressed, urging Trump to facilitate, rather than hinder, critical academic research.

“If the U.S. truly champions academic freedom, it should not hinder communication between different nations,” he asserted.

What actions could Trump take now?

This week, Trump’s transition team did not respond to inquiries regarding this issue, but previously he has indicated intentions to reinstate and broaden the travel ban, pledging new “ideological screenings” for non-U.S. citizens to exclude “dangerous lunatics, haters, bigots, and maniacs.”

“We are not allowing anyone from Gaza, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, or any other location that poses a threat to our safety,” Trump remarked during an October 2023 campaign rally in Iowa.

Trump also pledged to “revoke the student visas of radical anti-American and anti-Semitic foreigners at our educational institutions” as a reaction to protests on campus.

What guidance are schools providing students?

University officials have counseled international students preparing to travel home for winter break to return before Inauguration Day and to be ready for potential delays at immigration checkpoints.

This includes Ivy League institutions such as Harvard and Brown, along with Boston universities like Northeastern University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, as well as various schools nationwide, from Johns Hopkins University to the University of Southern California. Some institutions have courses that begin the day after Inauguration Day.

Cornell University informed its students that a travel ban involving the 13 nations Trump had previously targeted “is anticipated to be enacted shortly after inauguration,” with the possibility of new countries being added to the list, especially China and India. They advised students, faculty, and staff from those nations to return to campus before classes resume on Jan. 21.

Other institutions did not imply that a ban is imminent, but rather encouraged students to strategize and brace for delays.