U.S. universities urge international students to return before Trump’s inauguration

In anticipation of potential travel and visa restrictions under the administration of President-elect Donald Trump, several U.S. universities have called on their international students to return to campus before the January 20, 2025, inauguration.

Institutions hosting over 1.1 million international students are taking preemptive steps to address uncertainties about Trump’s immigration policies. Notable universities such as New York University (NYU), Cornell University, and the University of Southern California (USC) have issued warnings to their international students, according to a CNN report.

The universities are urging students currently abroad for winter break to return to the U.S. before the inauguration. Administrators have expressed concerns over the possibility of new travel and visa bans, similar to those implemented during Trump’s first term.

When Trump first took office in 2017, he imposed a travel ban targeting seven predominantly Muslim countries, leaving thousands of international students stranded outside the U.S. Trump has since reiterated his plans to strengthen such restrictions during his latest campaign, citing the issue of irregular immigration.

According to Open Doors, a U.S. State Department-supported data initiative, more than 1.1 million international students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities for the 2023-24 academic year. Students from India constitute the largest group, followed by those from China and South Korea. Combined, Indian and Chinese students make up more than half of the international student population in the U.S.

University leaders have emphasized their uncertainty about what the new administration may bring. The reminders for students to return before January 20 underline growing apprehensions among higher education institutions about another era of restrictive immigration policies.