Several universities in the U.S. are urging international students and staff to return to campus prior to President-elect Trump’s inauguration. Uncertainty about potential policy changes is the impetus for the recommendation. There are an estimated 408,000 undocumented students enrolled at U.S. higher education institutions. Those with legal status to attend higher education institutions in the U.S. also face uncertainty.
President-elect Trump has repeatedly stated he will take action on illegal immigrants on his first day in office, January 20, 2025. Further, Mr. Trump confirmed use of U.S. military to carry out a mass deportation program. In his previous term, Mr. Trump worked to overturn the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program as well. He is expected to immediately make changes to current U.S. immigration policy.
For those in the country on student or professor visas, uncertainty around travel bans is driving the recommendation. In his previous administration, Mr. Trump enacted limitations on travel to the U.S., which may affect international students and staff. The recommendation to return to campus prior to the inauguration is made out of an abundance of caution across several known universities.
In Mr. Trump’s first presidency, an executive order was signed that banned individuals from several predominantly Muslim nations, as well as Venezuela and North Korea, from entering the U.S. He also proposed student visa limitations in that first term. Whether or not Mr. Trump will execute something similar is unknown, however, we recommend students and foreign nationals with a legal status return to the U.S. prior to the inauguration of Mr. Trump.
If you have questions about a student visa or any other U.S. immigration related issue, contact us. During these uncertain times, we commit to always giving our clients the right advice for their particular situations. We vow to continue to guide our clients through their immigration journey based on the laws in effect for that given day. Taking proactive measures is always helpful, but perhaps now even more so.
