Representative Image Photo: File Representative Image Photo: File

Several US universities including Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Wesleyan University, and Yale University, are advising their international students and staff to return to campus before January 20, 2025 - the day when Donald Trump is set to swear in as the 47th US President. 

These measures come amid growing concerns about Trump’s immigration policies, particularly his plans for mass deportations, which have sparked anxiety among students from abroad, PTI reported.

According to a BBC report, with more than 400,000 undocumented students currently enrolled in US higher education, concerns are particularly high among students who may be impacted by Trump’s plans, which include building vast holding facilities for deportation targets. His incoming border czar, Tom Homan, has clarified that violent criminals and national security threats will be prioritized for deportation, though many students remain uneasy.

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David C Elwell, Associate Dean and Director of MIT’s International Students Office, emphasized that the advisory was based on prior experiences with immigration disruptions. “It is still too early to determine what the immediate impacts may be on immigration and visa issues,” PTI quoted Elwellt. He added that the inauguration could trigger new executive orders affecting travel and visa processing times, potentially leading to delays that might hinder students from re-entering the US after winter break. MIT further advised students to prepare for extensive visa processing times if required to renew their entry permits.

The University of Massachusetts echoed these concerns in a post on Instagram, advising international community members to “strongly consider” returning to the US before January 20 to avoid any travel disruptions. This recommendation was made “out of an abundance of caution,” following the travel bans that were enacted during Trump’s first term, particularly the 2017 executive order targeting nationals from several predominantly Muslim countries, North Korea, and Venezuela.

Several other universities have followed suit. Wesleyan University urged international students to be on campus by January 19 to avoid any complications related to immigration policy changes. Yale University has been proactive in addressing student concerns, holding a webinar to discuss the potential impacts of a second Trump presidency on US immigration laws. “Students are incredibly overwhelmed and stressed out right now as a result of the uncertainty around immigration,” said Chloe East, a professor at the University of Colorado Denver, in an interview with the BBC. “A lot of students have concerns about their visas and whether they'll be allowed to continue their education.”

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The potential effect of Trump’s policies on students is being felt globally. BBC quoted Aoi Maedawpt global, an international student from Japan studying at Earlham College in Indiana, voicing the uncertainty that many international students are grappling with, “[Trump] claims that he is only interested in keeping illegal immigrants out of the country, but he also kind of tries to move the goal post a lot of times. I am planning to graduate in May 2026, but now that the administration is going to be a little bit more dangerous, I'm less hopeful about things going well. I feel like us international students with a visa might get affected, and it’ll become easier to deport us.”

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