By Grace Bourne, Second Year, History and French
As of March this year, less than two months into Donald Trump’s second term, the United States Immigration Service (ICE) has been ordered to monitor student campuses in search of international students who may be eligible for deportation. This includes students who have been found to have committed a wide range of lesser misdemeanours, from minor traffic violations to ‘taking activities that are counter to our national interests’, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. These actions are part of a wider immigration crackdown, the legality of which has been questioned. In response, protests have erupted across the US since the beginning of June, the most notable of which took place in LA, where Trump deployed the national guard despite opposition from California governor, Gavin Newsom.
International students appear to have become convenient targets in the US government’s broader immigration crackdown. According to Senator Rubio, over 300 student visas had been revoked by April 2 of this year. However, BBC research suggests the impact is far more extensive, with up to 1,800 students and 280 universities affected. This is particularly significant given that the U.S. hosts approximately 1.1 million international students, who contribute not only to academic communities but also to the broader economy and cultural exchange.
Among students at Bristol considering studying abroad, the United States has historically been a popular destination, particularly through postgraduate programmes, year-abroad exchanges, and summer internships. With this recent escalation, Bristol’s Study Abroad team may face new challenges advising students interested in American institutions.
The main targets of these deportation efforts appear to be students taking part in pro-Palestine activist movements. The first known case of this was that of Mahmud Khalil, a Columbia University student and outspoken advocate for Palestinian rights, who was detained by ICE agents on March 12. He was taken from his university residence after direct orders from the State Department.
The legislation being used to justify his deportation is the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, created during the Cold War, which gives the Secretary of State the right to deport anyone considered to be causing issues for U.S. foreign policy. This is the first time since the law's creation it has been applied in this context. Since Kahlil’s detention, other high-profile students - Badar Khan Suri, Rumeysa Ozturk and Yunseo Chu - have reportedly faced similar scrutiny or removal, all of whom have taken part in pro-Palestinian marches, which Trump termed ‘un-American activity.’
Senator Rubio’s has attempted to justify this seemingly inexplicable and unprecedented deportation of students by stating: ‘They’re here to go to class. They’re not here to lead activist movements that are disruptive and undermine our universities. I think it’s lunacy to continue to allow that.’
However, human rights organisations across the U.S. have asserted that the actual lunacy lies in the government’s disregard for the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to free speech. One of the affected students, Yunseo Chung, is in the process of suing the US government after ICE agents raided her home. According to her legal team, they are challenging the ‘pattern and practice of targeting individuals associated with protests for Palestinian rights for immigration enforcement in retaliation for their core protected political speech’. The American Civil Liberties Union has also condemned the crackdown, stating ‘No president should be allowed to set an ideological litmus test and exclude or remove people from our country who they disagree with.’
Given the strong tradition of political activism in Bristol, from solidarity campaigns to student-led protests on international issues, this development raises concerns about whether students who engage in similar causes on campus could be flagged or penalised when applying for U.S. visas.
Harvard University has borne the brunt of President Trump’s recent directives targeting foreign students. After rejecting Trump’s proposals to align the university’s curriculum with his administration’s ideology, the university saw $2.2 million worth of funding withdrawn. Further escalating the conflict, Trump has attempted to disallow Harvard from sponsoring any international student visas for the 2025/26 academic year. This move threatens a significant portion of Harvard’s student body, as international students currently make up a quarter of the student body. In response, Harvard has taken legal action against the administration - leaving the status of international student visa applicants in limbo.
While this may feel distant, Harvard’s situation could foreshadow broader restrictions on international academic mobility. Bristol students applying for postgraduate programmes in the U.S. may find it harder to secure sponsorships or scholarships, especially if they are politically active.
Another growing concern for students wanting to travel to the US is the increased border surveillance. According to Michelle Hackman, an immigration reporter for the Wall Street Journal, ‘It’s totally legal for [U.S. border] agents to search people’s phones [or] social media accounts’ upon entry into the US. Despite causing widespread panic and discomfort across the globe for international visitors, it currently remains within the bounds of U.S. law. However, it is something to be aware of if you are planning to travel to the US on a student visa.
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As of yet, the only UK citizen to have had a visa revoked as a result of ‘protest activities against Israel’ is Momodou Taal, a joint citizen of the UK and Gambia. Initially, he had tried to sue the US government in order to block his deportation, but on March 31 posted on X that he had chosen to leave the country ‘free with my head held high’.
Despite only one UK citizen having been affected so far, it is absolutely cause for concern for UK students hoping to study in the U.S. To date, the U.S. government has given no indication that it plans to curtail these investigations into international students. None of the lawsuits brought to the government have currently been resolved, and given the lack of precedent for this, there remains little concrete guidance available for those looking to study in the States. UK students are advised to remain informed, particularly regarding the possibility of extensive social media vetting at the border, and to stay up to date on the evolving climate within U.S. universities.
Featured Image: Jason Leung / Unsplash
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