International students are rethinking U.S. study plans amid visa policy shifts

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nternational students who had planned to visit family, take vacations, or travel for research are now rethinking those plans, as the Trump administration’s tightening of immigration rules has left many feeling increasingly exposed and uncertain.Even before the recent wave of visa cancellations, some colleges were already advising international students and faculty to delay travel abroad. The warnings came amid federal efforts to deport students linked to pro-Palestinian protests. As reports of visa and status terminations grew in recent weeks, more institutions have begun cautioning students against non-essential international travel.The University of California, Berkeley, for example, released a travel advisory last week, warning that “upcoming international travel carries significant risk” due to heightened scrutiny and enforcement.Since late March, at least 1,220 students across 187 colleges and universities have had their legal immigration status revoked or their visas canceled, according to a review by the Associated Press that included school announcements, official correspondence, and court filings.However, the real number of impacted students appears to be much higher. In response to a congressional inquiry, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported on April 10 that 4,736 visa records for international students had been terminated in the government database used to track their legal status.With the threat of removal looming, some students have chosen to leave the country voluntarily, while others have gone into hiding. Several say they were blindsided by the cancellations and had no idea what triggered them, noting that, in many cases, their violations were either minor or unclear.Following intervention by federal judges who flagged due process issues in some cases, the government reversed a number of terminations. However, it also issued new rules that broaden the grounds on which a student can lose legal status.Under the updated policy, a student's legal presence in the U.S. can now be revoked if their visa is canceled—even if they are already in the country. Previously, students with revoked visas could usually remain enrolled, although they would be barred from reentering if they left the U.S.The rapidly changing landscape has left universities scrambling to offer sound guidance.A staff member at a Michigan college, who works closely with international students but asked to remain anonymous due to lack of authorization to speak publicly, said inquiries about summer travel have surged. Despite the urgency, the staffer admitted that answers are increasingly difficult to provide with confidence.International students are a vital source of tuition revenue for many institutions. Last year, the U.S. was home to roughly 1.1 million international students. But immigration advocates warn that ongoing enforcement actions are damaging the country’s reputation as a destination for higher education and could drive those numbers down.Rishi Oza, an immigration attorney based in North Carolina, said his office has been inundated in recent weeks with daily questions from people of various immigration statuses—especially international students—concerned about the risks of traveling abroad.