WASHINGTON (AP) — Since arriving from China as a boarding school student, Bob Zen has dreamed of a professional journey in the US. However, as he prepared to graduate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology on Thursday, it felt like the concluding chapter of his American experience.
Zen expressed concerns about the Trump administration’s commitment to aggressively revoke Chinese student visas. After finishing his master’s in science and management, he is contemplating moving to Europe or potentially returning to China.
“I’m concerned about working here,” Zen stated.
Numerous international students come to the US seeking work experience, hoping to either return home or build a career in the US. Yet, heightened scrutiny and indications that formal career avenues may be closing have led many to reevaluate their futures.
The government is extending measures beyond what has already been implemented – Finishing student skills and added time for studying in the US. There has been a new examination directed towards students with visas, which may block foreign registrations. Harvard University has raised concerns that essential programs aimed at encouraging international students to remain and gain work experience are at risk.
About 240,000 of the 1.1 million student visas in the US come with practical training opportunities. This one-year post-graduation phase allows graduates to work in fields related to their degrees, with science, mathematics, and technology graduates eligible for extensions of up to three years.
Joseph Edlow, the nominee for President Trump’s US Citizenship and Immigration Director, indicated at a May 21 confirmation hearing his intention to conclude permits for graduate work for international students.
“My vision is to create a regulatory framework that restricts employment permissions for F-1 students beyond their academic tenure,” Edlow explained, referencing the F-1 visas commonly held by international students in the US.
The program provides international students with a foothold for careers in the US
Many hope for career experience in the US, particularly in industries dominated by American companies, including technology. Aspiring professionals are eager to participate in the H-1B visa lottery, looking to secure employer-sponsored visas that can lead to permanent residency in the US.
Fanta AW, CEO of NAFSA, representing international educators, warned that threats to practical training opportunities could adversely affect the US’s ability to attract international students.
“We’re alienating global talent at our own expense,” AW remarked.
Like many international students, Marco, 29, is closely following the news amid increasing scrutiny. With his optional practical training about to expire in a month, he applied for an extension but has not heard back. A lawyer from a tech firm in New York City advised him to keep proof of his legal status handy.
“The message being sent now is: You are not one of us, and we will drive you away,” Marco expressed.
Having been in the US for a decade—through university and grad school—his family and friends back home are urging him to return. While he hopes to secure the OPT extension and later apply for an H-1B visa, he fears the ongoing anti-immigration sentiments and who may be targeted next.
Another individual, an HIV researcher at Mount Sinai Hospital, shared her story while withholding her name due to fear of backlash. She moved to the US in 2018 for a PhD program at New York University and is currently in her second year of OPT. She anticipates needing to return to the UK if her program ends. While she still feels welcome in NYC, she perceives a “war with immigration” underway.
“This isn’t a particularly appealing environment for scientific advancement,” she noted.
Foreign students are targeted in several ways
During his first term, Trump considered reducing OPT, but this did not materialize. He proposed granting green cards to foreign students graduating from American universities, a sentiment echoing the desire for a welcoming policy.
However, his administration has implemented several crackdowns on international students.
In April, US immigration customs enforcement began to terminate the legal status of individuals on student visas who appeared in police databases. Many were caught in this effort and faced risks of job violations due to lapses in their OPT. While ICE restored student status for some after lengthy legal processes, many chose not to leave the US out of fear of deportation.
In mid-May, some graduates received warning letters threatening the end of their positions if they did not rectify their employment records. This communication ignited further uncertainty among international alumni.
This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to revoke visas for Chinese students studying in “sensitive” fields.
Yurong “Luanna” Jiang, a Chinese student who graduated from Harvard on Thursday, expressed her desire to stay in the US for several years but shared her concerns over the Trump administration’s visa policies.
“As for my future plans, everything feels uncertain right now,” said Jiang, who is now open to opportunities worldwide in international development. “It’s hard to predict what will happen next.”
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Gecker reported from San Francisco, with contributions from Toness and Michael Casey in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Collin Binkley in Washington.
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Source: apnews.com