For many international students, summer break is a time to recharge — a brief reprieve between rigorous semesters. But this year, for thousands studying in the United States, that freedom has been eclipsed by fear.
A doctoral student at the University of California, San Diego had planned a trip to Hawaii with friends. Now, the plan is off. “I probably am going to skip that to … have as few interactions with governments as possible,” the student shared, requesting anonymity out of concern for potential targeting as quoted by The Associated Press.
This student’s decision is not isolated. As a sweeping visa crackdown unfolds across the country, a cloud of uncertainty hangs over the academic and personal lives of international students.
A nationwide chill
Over the past few months, a surge in visa revocations and legal status terminations has created widespread unease. At least 1,220 students at nearly 200 colleges and universities have been affected, according to an Associated Press review. Federal data suggests the real number may be nearly four times higher, with over 4,700 international student visa records terminated as of April 10.
Many of these students report they were not given a clear reason for their status revocation — some cite minor infractions, others claim no wrongdoing at all. The result: Fear, confusion, and a growing distrust in the immigration system.
In response to legal challenges and judicial concern over due process, the federal government reversed several terminations — only to issue new guidance shortly afterward, expanding the list of reasons students can lose legal status. One key change: Students whose visas are revoked may no longer remain in the US, even if they are still enrolled in a degree programme.
Colleges left in the lurch
The rapid pace of policy changes has left universities scrambling. International student offices — once a haven for clarity and support — now struggle to keep pace with shifting federal guidelines.
Some institutions have issued official advisories. The University of California, Berkeley, for example, warned students last week that “strict vetting and enforcement” could make international travel “risky.” The implications of that caution are sobering: Skip research abroad, miss time with family, and forgo rest, all to avoid a potentially irreversible encounter at a US border.
A legal system in flux
Immigration attorneys across the country report an uptick in frantic consultations. Rishi Oza, an immigration lawyer in North Carolina, said his firm receives calls daily from international students worried about leaving the country — and whether they’ll be allowed to return.
Students are now advised to travel with a growing stack of documents: Transcripts, proof of enrollment, visa records — even dismissed court documents, in case past misunderstandings resurface at the border. But even meticulous preparation offers no guarantee.
Anxious departures, uncertain returns
For a student at the University of Illinois, the anxiety is suffocating. One of his classmates recently left the country and never returned — their status was terminated without warning. He has already bought a plane ticket to his home in Asia but admits the trip is now overshadowed by fear.
His words echo the sentiment of many: Caught between the desire to see family and the risk of losing everything they’ve worked for, international students face an impossible choice.
America’s vanishing appeal
Beyond personal stress, the implications for the broader education landscape are profound. The United States hosted around 1.1 million international students last year — a population that contributes tens of billions to the economy and supports the vitality of American higher education.
But with legal safeguards evaporating and fear becoming a fixture of the international student experience, advocates warn of long-term damage. The very students who once dreamed of building futures in the US are now questioning whether it’s still a place of opportunity.
For many this summer, it’s not a matter of where they want to go. It’s a matter of whether they can afford to leave — or dare to return.
