Return to campus fast, US colleges tell foreign students amid Trump threats

Universities in the United States are advising international students and staff to return to campus before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January, amid fears over his immigration policies, including mass deportations. Trump, who won the 2024 presidential election against Kamala Harris, has pledged to carry out the largest deportation operation in American history, deploying the military to assist in the process.

"All international students are worried right now," University of Colorado Denver professor Chloe East told the BBC.

Concerns are heightened as officials in Trump’s incoming administration have proposed building large detention centres to keep undocumented immigrants awaiting deportation. Tom Homan, Trump’s pick for border czar, stated that violent criminals and national security threats would be prioritised for removal.

However, this has done little to calm fears within the higher education community. Indian students are also a vital part of this community.

Over 400,000 undocumented students are currently enroled to US colleges and universities, according to the Higher Ed Immigration Portal.

Additionally, international students are worried about their visas and whether they'll be allowed to continue their education.

"Students are incredibly overwhelmed and stressed out right now as a result of the uncertainty around immigration," Chloe East, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver told the BBC.

In November, the University of Massachusetts issued a travel advisory, urging international students and faculty to return to campus from winter break before Trump's inauguration on January 20.

"Based on previous experience with travel bans that were enacted in the first Trump Administration in 2016, the Office of Global Affairs is making this advisory out of an abundance of caution," the college said, reported the BBC.

Other universities, including the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Wesleyan University, have also issued similar travel advisories.

At Yale University, the Office of Students and Scholars hosted a webinar to address concerns about potential immigration policy shifts.

The growing number of international students from countries such as India underscores the potential impact of these policies.

According to a report by Open Doors, India became the leading source of international students, beating China in the United States for the 2023-2024 academic year, with a 23% increase in enrolment, amounting to 3.3 lakh students.

The uncertainty has not only affected undocumented students but also those protected under programmes like Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), which shields individuals brought to the US as children from deportation. Trump has previously attempted to end this Obama-era programme, intensifying concerns among students.

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