Page 26 - The Indian EYE 011025

NORTH AMERICAN Newsline JANUARY 10, 2025 | The Indian Eye 26

US Universities urge International

Students to arrive ahead of Trump’s swearing

in on January 20, 2025

OUR BUREAU new Executive Orders that may im-
pact travel and visa processing may
Washington, DC
be implemented on or after that
s US President-elect Donald date. Students who would need to
Trump gears up to return to apply for a new entry visa at the US
Athe White House, his upcom- Embassy/Consulate abroad in order
ing inauguration in January 2025 has to return to the US in their student
sparked concern, particularly among status should assess the possibility of
colleges and universities, regarding facing any extensive processing times
potential changes to US immigration and have a backup plan if they must
policies. travel abroad and wait for a new en-
Universities across the country try visa to be issued. Any processing
have issued advisories to internation- delays could impact students’ ability
al students, urging them to plan their to return to the US as planned,” it
travel carefully amid expectations of stated.
stricter regulations under the new ad- The Northeastern Universi-
ministration, CNN reported. ty’s Office of the Global Services in
Donald Trump won a second post-US-election travel recommen-
term as President of the United dations to the international com-
States after securing 312 electoral munity on November 22 advised the
votes in the 2024 presidential elec- students that in order “to minimise
tion, defeating Democratic rival Ka- potential disruption to your stud-
mala Harris, who garnered 226 votes. national students and scholars from certainty such orders will be issued, ies, work, or research, we strongly
He will officially be sworn in for his outside of these “areas of concern” the safest way to avoid any challenges recommend returning to the US no
second term as US President on Jan- are not likely to be affected by a trav- is to be physically present in the US later than January 6, 2025, the start
uary 20. el ban or targeted visa suspension. before the Spring semester begins on of Northeastern’s Winter/Spring ac-
As per the findings on interna- People who are not citizens of these January 13, 2025.” ademic term.”
tional students by the US Depart- countries but are in transit through Following the Presidential elec- Harvard University’s Interna-
ment of State, Bureau of Educational them to the U.S. are unlikely to be tions result, UCLA’s Center for Im- tional Office advised students to
and Cultural Affairs on November affected,” Cornell University’s Office migration Law and Policy on Novem- “budget time ahead of the semester
18, 1,126,690 international students of Global Learning said. ber 6 in a message to the students start, prior to the January Martin Lu-
from more than 210 places of ori- It added, “It is a good idea for in- said that the 2024 presidential elec- ther King holiday” to avoid disrup-
gin studied at US higher education ternational students, faculty, and staff tion result raises profound questions tions or delays while returning from
institutions during the 2023-2024 from the above countries to be back for immigrant communities across winter break.
academic year, a 7 per cent increase in the US in advance of the semester, the United States. Trump during his presidential
from the previous academic year. which begins January 21, 2025. If this “The incoming Trump admin- campaign in 2024, promised to tack-
Ahead of Trump’s inauguration, is not possible (e.g., for scheduled istration’s policies and rhetoric will le various domestic issues, including
Cornell University’s Office of Glob- fieldwork), communicate with an ad- have lasting effects on millions of immigration and inflation. He has
al Learning on its website said that visor about your travel plans and be immigrants, including those who are indicated a return to his “America
the immigration landscape is likely prepared for delays.” part of the University of California First” foreign policy. He had also
to change under the new presiden- USC Annenberg Media, a stu- (UC) as students, staff, and faculty. confirmed that he would declare a
tial administration and advised inter- dent-led media site, reported that the UC policy provides that the Universi- national emergency to carry out mass
national students to return prior to University of Southern California Of- ty will not release immigration status deportations of migrants living in the
the start of the next semester, which fice of International Service warned or related information in confidential US without legal permission.
begins on January 21 next year or to international students that “the safest student records ... without a judicial Meanwhile, the reaction of Pres-
“communicate with an advisor about way to avoid any challenges” related warrant, a subpoena, a court order, ident-elect Trump has also reflected
your travel plans and be prepared for to travel is to be “physically present or as otherwise required by law,” the concerns of the universities ahead
delays.” in the US before the spring semester UCLA said. of his tenure.
“A travel ban is likely to go into starts January 13.” The Massachusetts Institute of In response to a social media
effect soon after inauguration. The In an email to the international Technology urged students to “avoid post from Judicial Watch’s Tom Fit-
ban is likely to include citizens of the students, the University of Southern making decisions based on social me- ton, who said on November 9 that
countries targeted in the first Trump California wrote, “This is especially dia and news reports or rumours that there are reports the incoming ad-
administration: Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, important given that a new presiden- predict new policies/regulations.” ministration is preparing such a dec-
Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, tial administration will take office on The university also advised the stu- laration and to use “military assets”
Libya, North Korea, Syria, Vene- January 20, 2025, and - as is common dents to assess their travel plans over to deport the migrants.
zuela, Yemen, and Somalia. New - may issue one or more Executive the winter break. Responding to a social me-
countries could be added to this list, Orders impacting travel to the US “The new administration will be dia post from Fitton, Trump said,
particularly China and India. Inter- and visa processing. While there’s no sworn in on January 20, 2025, and “TRUE.”

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