Lately, well-known schools like Harvard, UCLA, and Stanford have reported that some international students are having their student visas revoked. This is starting to worry not just those students, but also people all across the country. It’s making a lot of students wonder if the U.S. is still a place where everyone has equal opportunity and access to education.
For international students, a visa isn’t just documentation stating students can learn in the United States, it’s their chance to get a good education, explore new opportunities, and build a future. But now, with stricter immigration enforcement under President Trump’s second term, some colleges are being pressured by the government. These schools are being told they might be violating visa or green card rules, sometimes over small things like students attending peaceful protests or other minor issues.
This pressure is leading to serious consequences. Since Trump took office again, over 300 student visas have been taken away. A lot of times, it’s not even clear why. That’s what makes it so scary, especially since students could lose their right to study here without fully understanding what they did wrong, if anything. It’s leading people to wonder if the government is being fair, or if they’re targeting certain students unfairly.
High schoolers are definitely paying attention. Many of us are starting to think twice about college plans, especially if we’re thinking about studying abroad.
Keira Dailey, an 11th grader at Wharton High School, said, “I would tell a friend to be cautious when thinking about studying abroad due to the current state of the United States’ politics. Laws are being enforced, and changes are being made that are negatively impacting not only the American people, but also students studying abroad who just want a taste of the American Dream.”
For students like Keira, this isn’t just about rules, it’s about what’s right and wrong. She and others feel like these international students are being punished in ways that don’t make sense, especially when they’re just here to learn and extend their education.
Another student, Astrid Bello, also a junior at Wharton, stated she would feel “betrayed” if something like this happened to her. “In most cases, this is due to criminal activity or expiration, but simply because I was studying abroad trying to enhance my education would feel ethically illicit.”
These opinions show that even students who haven’t started college yet are already concerned about what’s happening. If international students don’t feel welcome or safe coming here, how can the U.S still have “justice for all” in the pledge of allegiance.
Even though the media is just now starting to talk more about these issues, studies have shown it’s been building up for a while. With colleges stuck in the middle and immigration policies getting stricter, some are worried the U.S. could stop being the top choice for students all over the world.
At the end of the day, students want education to be about learning and growing, without having to fear deportation. Many believe that education should be a right, not something that can be taken away because of changing political views.
