US colleges urge int'l students to return before Trump tenure begins

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: News websites
13 Dec 2024 08:25

During his previous administration, US President Donald Trump implemented travel restrictions targeting seven majority-Muslim countries and later expanded the list to include additional nations.

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Students exit Harvard Yard in Cambridge, Massachusetts. (AFP)

With final exams concluding and winter break approaching, colleges such as Harvard, USC, and Cornell are urging international students to return to campus before President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration on January 20.

During his previous administration, Trump implemented travel restrictions targeting seven majority-Muslim countries and later expanded the list to include additional nations. He has expressed intentions to reinstate similar measures once back in office.

Cornell’s Office of Global Learning issued a warning on its website last month, stating, “A travel ban is likely to go into effect soon after inauguration.” The office advised students to return to the US before spring-semester classes begin on January 21.

“The ban is likely to include citizens of the countries targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. New countries could be added to this list, particularly China and India,” the warning added.

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Colleges are cautioning all students to anticipate potential delays at the border and in processing necessary paperwork.

“Budget time ahead of the semester start, prior to the January Martin Luther King holiday,” Harvard advised on its website, addressing concerns from international students.

Similarly, institutions such as the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, and Wesleyan University have issued similar advisories. These recommendations are largely prudent, as the incoming administration's policies remain uncertain. Trump intends to reintroduce or reinforce some of the travel restrictions implemented during his first term.

At a September event, Trump declared his plans to “seal our border and bring back the travel ban,” referencing his earlier restrictions on travel from several majority-Muslim countries. He also pledged to “ban refugee resettlement from terror-infested areas like the Gaza Strip.”

According to Open Doors, over 1.1 million international students were enrolled in the US colleges and universities during the 2023-24 academic year. India was the leading country of origin for these students, followed by China; together, they made up more than half of all international students in the US, with South Korea ranking third.