International students share visa concerns following the 2024 election

International students at the University of Richmond have expressed concerns about how President-elect Donald Trump’s victory in the 2024 U.S. presidential election could affect their education and future in the U.S. 

International students make up 10 percent of the undergraduate population at UR, according to the university website. Visa-related issues remain one of the biggest concerns for international students. During Trump’s first term, policies such as the travel ban and restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted students’ lives.

Yiyang Pu, a senior from China, is fearful of what the future could hold, highlighting her friend’s negative experience that has only bolstered her trepidation.

“I know a Ph.D. student whose visa got revoked during the time he was in China, and he couldn’t get back to the U.S. ever again,” she said. “I am really worried about getting [my visa] checked or worse, canceled.”

Pu also said many international students, particularly those pursuing graduate studies, feel pressured to remain in the U.S. 

“There are many international students who plan to stay in the U.S. instead of going back to China because they are afraid that when they are out of the state, when they come back, there might be something wrong with their visa, and they might be revoked,” she said.

For some students, the visa process has already caused problems. Flora Yi, a sophomore from South Korea, recalled how one of her friends from another country couldn’t secure visa approval in time and had to delay arriving in the U.S. 

Yi hasn’t faced direct issues, but a comment from her professor worried her. 

“In [one of my classes], my professor said, ‘Don’t be upset if you can’t stay here.’ That was when I began to worry about my future,” she said.

For international students, work and graduate school visa requirements can complicate planning for life after graduation. Many students, after graduation, rely on programs like Optional Practical Training or the H-1B visa. OPT allows students to work in the U.S. for up to one year in a field related to their studies, or two years for certain STEM graduates. The H-1B visa program allows temporary employment of foreign workers in specialty occupations by U.S. employers. However, these are not guaranteed and can depend on U.S. immigration policies. 

“I think applying for grad school would be easier than getting an internship,” Yi said. “It’s like I narrowed down my future because of the visa problem.”

Pu shared similar concerns. 

“I would work here if I get the H-1B visa, but given the result of the election, I probably would go back to China after grad school,” she said. “If possible, I would look for a job [in the U.S.],” she said.

In Trump’s first term, his administration enacted several policies that significantly affected international students. Executive Order 13769 restricted entry from several majority-Muslim countries like Libya and Syria. At the time, more than 17,000 students in the U.S. came from the countries immediately impacted by the ban.

As part of Trump’s strict immigration policies, in May 2018, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced a rule calculating “unlawful presence” for international students, which could result in three or 10-year bans on re-entry into the U.S. Over 65 institutions filed an amicus brief after the ruling. The policy was later blocked by the Federal District Court in 2019. 

The situation worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July 2020, the Trump administration announced that international students on F-1 visas would have to leave the country if their classes moved entirely online. Harvard University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, supported by numerous institutions, sued the administration, eventually forcing it to rescind the policy. The College Board criticized these policies as “cruel to international students and deeply counterproductive for higher education and for our country,” according to its statement.  

Many international students, though unable to vote, recognize the election’s significance for their lives and their home countries. First-year Darshan Shah, who comes from India, said he was disappointed by the election results. 

“It’s crazy to me how that many people want Trump in office after even a fraction of the things he’s done and said he’ll do,” Shah said. 

However, he noted that, personally, the results did not present an immediate threat. 

“I don’t personally see too much negative impact—more like a general level of anxiety/concerns about the world at large.”

Olena Naumenko, a first-year student from Ukraine, expressed mixed feelings about the election. 

“I was more optimistic about the election before because the majority of people in ‘my bubble’ are mostly Democrats,” Naumenko said. “My people were hopeful because the result of this election defines the result of the war in my country.”

She acknowledged the unpredictability of Trump’s future in office. 

“It’s like, either I’m getting deported or I’m getting some better position—a work permit or longer-term visa,” she said. “I’m concerned about renewing my visa. As a Ukrainian citizen, the longest visa we can get is three years. What happens when that time is up? It’s something my community is worried about.”

Naumenko also pointed out the difference in the election's impact on Americans and Ukrainians. She said Americans would likely “survive these four years with Trump,” but added that “it is uncertain whether my people will survive in those four years.”

Shah emphasized the global significance of U.S. politics. 

“The U.S. sets the standard for the world politically, especially for issues of climate, conflict, and international collaboration,” he said.

Naumenko urged Americans to think beyond their borders. 

“I would like Americans to be more interested in their own politics and how it impacts not only them but also people outside of the U.S. and those people who are not Americans but living in the U.S.,” she said.

Contact writer Michelle Roh at michelle.roh@richmond.edu.