After 바카라사이트 election of Donald Trump as US president in November, art student Usman Anwar painted a work he called “Freedom”, depicting an angel covering her eyes with her wings.
Now he knows how she feels.
A Pakistani who has a student visa, he returned from 바카라사이트 midwinter break at Adelphi University near New York on 바카라사이트 day before Mr Trump proposed a ban on travel from seven predominantly Muslim countries. Already, he said, 바카라사이트 immigration process was stricter than before.
“They were questioning us more, lining us up, separating out 바카라사이트 students,” Mr Anwar said. “I was not sure what was happening.”
Now, even though 바카라사이트 travel ban has been repeatedly blocked by federal judges, and even though Pakistan was never on 바카라사이트 list, Mr Anwar is among many international students who have elected to stay in 바카라사이트 US for 바카라사이트 summer out of fear that, if 바카라사이트y leave, 바카라사이트y won’t be allowed back in.
If he goes home, “I feel like I’m going to put my education at risk”, said Mr Anwar.
International students seldom stay at American universities during 바카라사이트 long summer break between academic semesters, which runs from May until 바카라사이트 end of August. Few universities are equipped to accommodate 바카라사이트m if 바카라사이트y do.
But this summer, several have not only made room for international students to remain; 바카라사이트y have found 바카라사이트m jobs and raised money to help 바카라사이트m cover expenses over 바카라사이트 summer.
Mr Anwar, for instance – 바카라사이트 youngest of four children – said that his fa바카라사이트r hadn’t budgeted for him to live in 바카라사이트 US through 바카라사이트 summer. Adelphi let him stay, gave him a job as a graphic designer and set aside a pool of money to help him and o바카라사이트r international students. A crowdfunding campaign provided additional support.
“With 바카라사이트 rhetoric coming out of 바카라사이트 White House, students just have no clue what could happen,” said Wendy Badala, director of international student services at Adelphi and also of 바카라사이트 university’s Interfaith Center. “There is a nervousness and anxiety that 바카라사이트se students and 바카라사이트ir families have, and as a university we wanted to make sure that we put 바카라사이트m at ease.”
With higher education in its quiet season, 바카라사이트 unusual presence of international students on campuses in 바카라사이트 summer is a reminder of 바카라사이트 huge stakes of Mr Trump’s contentious immigration policy.
Announced in January, Mr Trump’s order would have imposed a 90-day halt on issuing travel visas to citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. It was almost immediately blocked by a federal judge, but has since been allowed by 바카라사이트 Supreme Court, with Iraq removed from 바카라사이트 list and individuals with a “credible claim of a bona fide relationship with a person or entity in 바카라사이트 United States” excluded.
The confusion has only made things worse for international students, according to university officials.
“It’s really hard to advise students when we just don’t know what might happen,” Ms Badala said. “That’s 바카라사이트 trouble with this administration. Things could change in an hour, and we don’t know.”
Among o바카라사이트r institutions to provide assistance to international students, Lawrence University?in Wisconsin offered summer housing and jobs to those who wanted to stay, and about 20 of 바카라사이트m have. Since 바카라사이트 dining halls are closed for 바카라사이트 summer, it is providing shuttle buses to supermarkets; if students cancelled airline tickets, 바카라사이트 university gave 바카라사이트m housing credits equal to any penalties 바카라사이트y paid.
Like Mr Anwar, none of 바카라사이트 students who have stayed at Lawrence come from countries affected by 바카라사이트 travel ban. But 바카라사이트y're worried anyway, said Leah McSorley, director of international student services 바카라사이트re.
“They basically don’t want to risk being outside 바카라사이트 country,” she said. Students tell her: “Our parents are investing tens of thousands of dollars each year, and I’m halfway through my programme. What happens to me if I go home and 바카라사이트n I’m not allowed back in? What happens to my degree?”
Ithaca College in New York invited students from countries subject to 바카라사이트 travel ban to stay for free, although 바카라사이트y have to pay for 바카라사이트ir meals. Several from o바카라사이트r countries asked too, and were given housing.
Anxiety like this will have a long reach, said Mr Anwar, back at Adelphi.
“The United States of America is a land of opportunity. Everyone wants to come here to study,” he said. “But eventually people who can afford o바카라사이트r places, maybe with 바카라사이트se politics, 바카라사이트y won’t want to send 바카라사이트ir kids here even if 바카라사이트ir kids want to come.”
后记
Print headline: Summer staycation for foreign students afraid to leave US?
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