The uncertainty surrounding immigration policies being issued by several US universities ahead of President Donald Trump’s inauguration next year is reflected in the guidance being issued to international students and staff. According to a BBC report, many international students and scholars are worried about their future in the US because Trump, who won the presidential election, had promised to take strict action on immigration during his election campaign. After winning the election, Trump has vowed to carry out the largest deportation operation in US history and has even said that the military may be used to carry out this operation. International students and staff are also nervous, given Trump’s background, as during his first term, Trump tried to end the “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program” under which more than 500,000 immigrants who came to the US as children have been protected. The University of Massachusetts has issued travel advisories asking international students and staff to return before Trump takes office on January 20 next year.Wesleyan University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have urged the international community to finalize their travel plans early to avoid potential disruption. Earlier this month, a webinar was hosted by the Office of International Students and Scholars at Yale University, where concerns were raised about the reliability of visas and potential policy changes under the new administration, and suggestions were made for solutions. Professor Cole of the University of Colorado Denver told the BBC that many students are experiencing difficulties due to the uncertainty surrounding immigration policy. They are concerned about their visas and continuing their education. According to an estimate, there are 408,000 undocumented students enrolled in higher education institutions across the US, which makes up about 1.9% of the total post-secondary student population.
