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U.S. NEWS Monday 26 october 2020
Foreign students show less zeal for US since Trump took over

By SOPHIA TAREEN him, including the tone sur-
Associated Press rounding a January rule to
CHICAGO (AP) — On a re- curb family-based immi-
cruiting trip to India's tech gration from Nigeria and
hub of Bangalore, Alan other countries.
Cramb, the president of a "He made remarks about
reputable Chicago univer- Nigerian immigrants get-
sity, answered questions ting jobs, and that put a
not just about dorms or weird tension around peo-
tuition but also American ple who wanted to come
work visas. here," he said. "That put us
The session with parents fell in a bad light."
in the chaotic first months of Nearly 60% of U.S. colleges
Donald Trump's presidency. reported the social and
After an inaugural address political environment con-
proclaiming "America first," tributed to the decline of
two travel bans, a suspend- new international students,
ed refugee program and according a 2019 Institute
hints at restricting skilled of International Education
worker visas widely used by survey.
Indians, parents doubted Most colleges in the survey
their children's futures in the In this photo taken on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020, Dodeye Ewa, 16 year old study at the family library said the difficulty in obtain-
U.S. in Calabar, Nigeria. ing U.S. visas was also to
"Nothing is happening here Associated Press. blame. Student visas issued
that isn't being watched under Trump shrunk 42%,
or interpreted around the "It's not as attractive as it Clearinghouse Research students and scholars what from nearly 700,000 in 2015
world," said Cramb, who once was," said Dodeye Center's fall snapshot shows was perceived as rhetoric to under 400,000 last year,
leads the Illinois Institute of Ewa, who's finishing high a 13.7% drop in undergrad- really would translate into according to the State De-
Technology, where interna- school in Calabar, Nigeria. uate international students. actual policy and create partment.
tional scholars have been Unlike two older siblings The government cites high a tremendous amount of In 2018, about 90% of Indi-
half the student body. who left for U.S. schools, college costs, but students uncertainty," said Rachel ans studying abroad chose
America was considered the aspiring pediatrician and school leaders tell an- Banks, a director at NAFSA. the U.S., with fewer than 5%
the premier destination for is focused on Canada. In other story. "If I choose to study in the in Canada. For the 2021
international students, with America, she fears bullying At IIT, a Chicago univer- U.S. will I be able to finish?" school year, roughly 77%
the promise of top-notch for being an international sity known for engineering, There haven't been many plan to study in America,
universities and unrivaled student and a Black wom- computer science and ar- reassurances. and nearly 14% chose Can-
job opportunities. Yet, 2016 an. chitecture, there was a 25% The Trump administration ada. That's according to a
marked the start of a steep Trump senior adviser Ste- decline in international stu- has floated curtailing Op- survey by Yocket, a Mum-
decline of new enrollees, phen Miller predicted that dents from fall 2016 to fall tional Practical Training, bai-based startup helping
something expected to after a COVID-19 vaccine, 2018. a popular program allow- roughly 400,000 Indian stu-
continue with fresh rules an improving economy Cramb has noticed a ing international students dents plan study abroad.
limiting student visas, com- would draw talent. change in tone on cam- to work. Roughly 223,000 Yocket co-founder Su-
petition from other coun- "Our superior economic po- pus. More international stu- participated in 2018-19, ac- meet Jain said there's still
tries and a haphazard sition is going to mean that dents want to return home. cording to the Institute of wide belief America is un-
coronavirus response. The the world's most talented The pandemic has only ex- International Education. matched for science, tech-
effect on the workforce will doctors, scientists, techni- acerbated things, includ- This month, the administra- nology, engineering and
be considerable, experts cians, engineers, etc., will ing a short-lived Trump ad- tion announced plans to math fields, but students
predict, no matter the out- all be thinking of the United ministration rule requiring limit H1-B skilled-worker vi- have a backup these days.
come of November's elec- States as their first country international students to sas, often a path for foreign Several several nations
tion. of destination," Miller told leave if their schools held students. It was pitched as have made it easier for in-
Trump has arguably the AP. online-only classes. Stu- a way to address pandem- ternational students.
changed the immigration Roughly 5.3 million students dents panicked, universities ic-related job losses, follow- Canada allows foreign
system more than any U.S. study outside their home protested and lawsuits fol- ing a June order tempo- scholars to count part of
president, thrilling support- countries, a number that's lowed. rarily suspending H1-Bs. It's their schooling toward a
ers with a nationalist mes- more than doubled since The Department of Home- prompted a lawsuit. residency requirement for
sage and infuriating critics 2001. But the U.S. share land Security then unveiled Democrat Joe Biden has citizenship. The United King-
who call the approach to dropped from 28% in 2001 draft rules last month impos- promised to reverse some dom allows them to stay
his signature issue insular, to 21% last year, accord- ing fixed student visa terms. Trump immigration orders. for two years after gradu-
xenophobic and even rac- ing to the Association of Instead of being valid while He's pitched more skilled- ation while seeking work.
ist. Before the election, The International Educators, or students are enrolled, visas worker visas and giving for- Over the summer, Australia
Associated Press is examin- NAFSA. could be limited to four eign graduates of U.S. doc- announced a pathway to
ing some of his immigration New international students years, with students from toral programs a pathway citizenship for Hong Kong
policies, including restric- in America have declined countries including Iran to citizenship. students.
tions on international stu- for three straight years: a and Syria eligible for two Dodeye Ewa's brother Wo- "They are trying to message
dents. 3% drop in the 2016 school years. fai Ewa, an IIT senior study- certainty and flexibility to
For colleges that fear dwin- year — the first in about a Federal officials say it's a ing mechanical engineer- their international students,
dling tuition and compa- decade — followed by 7% way to fight fraud and ing, wants to stay in Amer- and unfortunately, we are
nies that worry about losing and 1% dips, according to overstaying visas. But col- ica but worries about his messaging uncertainty
talent, the broader impact the Institute of International leges call it another barrier. options. He understands his and rigidity," said Sarah
is harder to quantify: Ameri- Education, which releases "Right out of the gate, you sister's doubts. Spreitzer, a director at the
ca seemingly losing its luster an annual November re- had the first travel ban, and Trump's disparaging words American Council on Edu-
on a global stage. port. The National Student that really crystalized for on immigrants have irked cation. q