Students and staff say the Trump administration’s stance on immigration has created new challenges for international students on campus, citing uncertainties in the United States’ academic and political environment. 

Recent policy changes, such as limiting the duration of F-1 visas issued for international students studying at American universities, threaten international students’ ability to remain in the United States.

International Student and Scholar Services advising and counseling associate director Kathryn Gaylord-Miles said the administration has taken immigration action without prior notice. 

“What we saw back in the spring was DHS (the Department of Homeland Security) terminating students’ records in a database called SEVIS, and that was connected to their ability to remain legally in the United States,” Gaylord-Miles said. “That wasn’t necessarily a policy change announced in advance; it was just something we discovered monitoring student records.” 

While the Trump administration ultimately reversed course, Gaylord-Miles believed the situation highlighted the importance of keeping international students informed about today’s politics.

“Some of it is fluid and adapting,” Gaylord-Miles said. “We have really been very intentional and proactively communicating with our international students and scholars.”

In May, changes to the visa screening process also impacted international students’ ability to arrive in the U.S. in time for the fall semester. A weeks-long pause in student visa issuances along with a new social media screening process extended visa appointment wait times and reduced overall capacity, according to Gaylord-Miles.

New social media screening guidelines have also required applicants to keep their accounts public during a weeks-long screening process. 

A first-year College of Liberal Arts graduate student, who chose to stay anonymous for fear of retaliation, received a visa appointment before the new social media screening regulations came into effect. They described the previous process as “superficial,” and deleted several personal accounts prior to the appointment. 

While the student described the overall atmosphere in the interview as relaxed, they withheld information they felt could negatively impact their chances of being issued a visa.

“I never lied,” the student said. “I just didn’t mention the political aspects of my work.”

The student said they were advised by CLA department members to delete any photos, screenshots and applications portraying the Trump administration or Israel in a negative light prior to landing in the U.S. 

While this student was used to similar self-censorship practices in their home country, they did not expect the same in the U.S.

“We were trying to escape from a very authoritarian country and were trying to pursue a Ph.D. for academic freedom,” the student said. “We were trying so hard, and we all just thought, what’s the meaning of doing all this if the situation is like it is?”

The Trump administration instituted a June travel ban on 19 countries, which prevented students from receiving visas or entering the U.S. altogether. Gaylord-Miles said several students were unable to attend the University this fall due to the challenges of receiving a visa in time. 

Although enrollment data has not yet been released by the University, the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs is projecting a 30% – 40% decrease in international student enrollments in the United States for the 2025-26 academic year. 

Students looking to make long-term plans in the U.S. are finding the shifting political landscape challenging. The proposed change to limit the duration of F-1 visas to four years could disrupt international doctoral students whose programs can frequently run as long as seven years. 

An international graduate student from the Humphrey School of Public Affairs, who also wished to speak anonymously, said the impacts have thus far been most difficult mentally. 

“I think generally speaking, it is more about uncertainties,” the student said. “It is not really a direct negative impact; it’s more so emotional.”

The student pointed to the risk of federal budget cuts on international students’ funding as particularly stressful. 

“You are thinking about your future, what’s going on,” the student said. “You have a contract with housing and several arrangements, so it is an emotional thing.” 

Gaylord-Miles said stable funding is critical to the success of international students at the University.

“We have really talked about the changes in immigration policy, but they are students, and they’re affected by any other policy change that happens at the university,” Gaylord-Miles said. “We have seen lots of funding available for research, and cuts to that impact availability of opportunities for graduate students, particularly for international students.”

Despite the challenges of studying in a country with hostile immigration policies, both students maintained that a U.S. education was still worth it.

“You should still come to America,” the first student said. “American academia is still here, and in Minnesota, I have felt nothing short of welcomed and supported.”

The second student agreed.

“So far we are all still here, still studying,” the second student said. “There’s still some light.”