US universities advise foreign students to return before Trump inauguration

Many universities in the US have been advising their international students to return early amid concerns that President-elect Donald Trump may reinstate a travel ban on certain countries following his inauguration, according to a report.

CNN said many major universities, including New York University (NYU), which hosts the largest number of foreign students, as well as Cornell University and the University of Southern California, have warned students about concerns regarding the incoming Trump administration.

Universities are urging international students, who are currently on winter break, to return to the US before the inauguration on January 20, citing concerns that Trump may impose travel and visa restrictions during the transition period, it added.

International students typically hold nonimmigrant visas that permit them to study in the US, but the visas do not offer a legal means to remain in the country permanently.

Restricted entry

Cornell University’s Office of Global Learning advised students travelling abroad to return before the start of the spring semester January 21 or to "consult with an adviser regarding your travel plans and be ready for potential delays," according to the report.

The university warned students late last month that "a travel ban is likely to go into effect soon after inauguration."

"The ban is likely to include citizens of the countries targeted in the first Trump administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia. New countries could be added to this list, particularly China and India," it added.

During his first presidency, Trump restricted entry from seven countries with majority-Muslim populations, which resulted in thousands of students being stranded abroad.

Irregular migrations

Throughout his election campaign, Trump stated his intention to address irregular migration by closing borders and reinforcing the travel ban, which Biden revoked after he took office in 2021.

According to Open Doors, a data project partially funded by the State Department, over 1.1 million students from abroad enrolled in US colleges and universities for the 2023-24 academic year.

Indian students lead the numbers, followed by China and South Korea, with Indian and Chinese students accounting for more than half of all international students in the US.

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