Revoking Visas, Silencing Dissent: How Trump's Crackdown on International Students Endangers Academic Freedom and U.S. Global Standing

Author: Olivia Weninger

August 12, 2025

[Image source: timesnownews.com]

In the United States, we are currently witnessing increasingly fraught relations between the government and higher education. Expanded efforts to close the Department of Education (USDOE), alongside the termination of public funding, censorship of medical proposals, and the revocation of student visas, demonstrate the escalating restrictions within our educational sphere, which threaten academic freedoms that have, for so long, been taken for granted.

Academic institutions, educational leaders, and students across the country are voicing their discontent with leaders who have submitted to the demands of the Trump administration. A quick search on social media platforms would surface videos of graduates exiting their graduations or vocally opposing those who stand against what they believe their institution represents. These are the 'boos' heard across the world as we wonder what will happen to the integrity of our nation, locally and globally, now and for the future, if the resilience of U.S. academic institutions fails to stand firm against a government determined to undermine the integrity of nationwide universities.

The Trump administration's escalating campaign against international students—via visa revocations, political vetting, and institutional intimidation— represents a dangerous erosion of human rights, academic freedom, and the U.S.'s role as a global leader in education. That said, this op-ed examines the legal, human rights, and international implications of new policies implemented by the Trump administration that erode the autonomy and authority of universities and the academic freedoms of the student body.   

We must urge academic institutions, policymakers, and voters to respond forcefully, as efforts by the current administration to undermine academic institutions and, along with it, their legacies, from both a historical perspective and that of the brilliant minds that will no longer be stepping foot on our shores is undoubtedly a sad chapter in U.S. history; these negative impacts will affect the lives of many, could take years to correct and will be detrimental to our world image on the global stage. Additionally, censorship in education and the vilifying of the international student body directly align with an increase in efforts to isolate the United States from the rest of the world as we continue to witness aggressive ICE raids, travel bans to certain countries, and revocation of visas for certain international students. 

On March 20, 2025, Trump issued an executive order to initiate the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) (Mimbela & Schifeling, 2025). This executive order erodes the USDOE's ability to carry out the duties and responsibilities that are congressionally mandated by law. The USDOE has played a critical role in providing opportunities for students, promoting equity, and advancing and protecting civil rights. This order undermines decades of bipartisan progress toward achieving educational fairness and ensuring equal access to education. The USDOE is also mandated to enforce student privacy laws and to allow for a method in which to challenge abuses of privacy. Without this mandate, information held within the schooling system, such as family income, students' grades, and medical history, could be used for purposes to which the students and their families never agreed (Mimbela & Schifeling, 2025). 

On March 25, 2025, Rumeysa Öztürk, a Tufts fifth-year doctoral student, was detained and arrested by ICE near Tufts campus in Massachusetts (Tufts, 2025). The video of her arrest went viral, showing her surrounded by people wearing masks and black, unmarked clothing outside of her university. You can hear them assure her and the bystanders that they are the police, as the very unusual nature of the arrest naturally raised many questions. Rumeysa is in the Eliot-Pearson Child Study and Human Development program. A Tufts' faculty member describes Rumeysa's motivation, patience, empathy, and ability to engage with students as inspiring (Tufts, 2025). 

“Rumeysa's motivation, patience, empathy, and ability to engage with students is inspiring. She consistently offers creative and innovative ideas while remaining open to others' perspectives, serving as a role model to our learning community.”

Rumeysa was on the radar of a pro-Israel group due to an op-ed she co-wrote last year criticizing the school's response to the war in Gaza (Allam, 2025). This escalated into Rumeysa becoming a target of the U.S. administration's efforts to 'promote peace' by ultimately detaining and placing her in a crowded cell in Louisiana without ever being formally charged with a crime (Allam, 2025).

On May 22, 2025, the Trump administration blocked Harvard from enrolling international students (Reuters, 2025). In the midst of a very public feud between Harvard and the Trump administration, which stemmed from the university's refusal to comply with unjust demands, the Trump administration revoked its ability to enroll international students. It also forced current foreign students to transfer to other universities in the U.S. or lose their legal status (Reuters, 2025). Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused the university of "fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party (Reuters, 2025)." Harvard stated that this move was illegal and was purely retaliation, as they are one of Trump's primary institutional targets.

The following week, around May 27, the Trump's administration paused all interviews for student visas and required all international students to undergo social media vetting in order to be considered, significantly slowing down visa processing for students (Politico, 2025). Over 38 institutions, including the American Council of Education, have written a letter to the U.S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, expressing their concern over these measures (News Room, 2025). As stated by News room:

“The letter urges the State Department to lift the current pause on visa interviews as quickly as possible and calls for transparency and thoughtfulness as new vetting procedures around social media are developed. The associations also ask for clarification regarding reports that the administration plans to begin revoking valid visas held by Chinese students, warning that such actions could have serious repercussions for the U.S. higher education system and the country's global reputation.”

Within a little over a month, we have seen drastic measures taken to dismantle our educational system and to ensure that international students have no place in our academic sphere. These actions are not isolated and instead represent a broader push to isolate the U.S., suppress dissent, and politicize academia.

Timeline:

Mar 20  -  Trump issues executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education.

Mar 25  -  Rumeysa Öztürk arrested near Tuft’s campus in Massachusetts.

May 22  -  Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling foreign students.

May 27 (approximately) -  Trump administration pauses all interviews for student visas and requires social media vetting for international students.

There are numerous legal and constitutional implications that can be derived from these recent actions. Our given right to due process is clearly in question here as many students are being removed or denied re-entry to the U.S. without notice, legal recourse, or explanation. As in the case of Rumeysa, investigating or punishing students based on their own political expression (e.g., support for Palestine) directly conflicts with core constitutional rights. Additionally, there is a threat of government overreach into institutional autonomy, as the federal government's pressure on universities to monitor international students' social media activities and restrict foreign enrollment sets a dangerous precedent for academic freedom and institutional independence.

Additionally, as a significant global power, the United States has always played its part internationally and has agreed to certain norms as such. One of many documents we have agreed to is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 26 of this declaration is as follows:

“Everyone has the right to education……Technical and professional education shall be made generally available, and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit…….Education shall be directed to the full development of the human personality and to the strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. It shall promote understanding, tolerance, and friendship among all nations, racial or religious groups, and shall further the activities of the United Nations for the maintenance of peace.”

The recent policies widely go against these global social norms and could raise questions internationally by targeting individuals based on nationality and beliefs. This includes Öztürk's detention for her alleged political views, targeted scrutiny of students from Muslim-majority countries, or being discriminatory against students from China with politically active backgrounds. The UN recognizes open inquiry and research mobility as a central feature of academic freedom. As the U.S. was a main creator and advocate for the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we should ensure a true democracy by rooting our policies in these standards.

From an economic perspective, the eradication of international students in our academic sphere would be detrimental to the funding of our educational systems. As most international students pay full tuition, they are a notable source of revenue for the survival of numerous programs across many American campuses (Hegarty, 2014). In the 2012 school year, non-immigrant student visa holders contributed more than $21 billion dollars to the U.S. economy (Hegarty, 2014). Universities rely on funding from international students as they play a large part in the student body. Regardless of economic mobility and possibility, international students are a vital component of a general student body. They bring diversity, perspective, and a potentially reshaping academic addition to an intentionally international university program. 

The current moment in history reflects a new one for our academic infrastructure. These aren't just changes to student visas—they are ideological moves to reshape higher education in a nationalist, isolationist image. The rapid changes we've witnessed have prompted scholars to examine historical parallels regarding government involvement in educational institutions and concerns about the potential constraints on open academic discourse. To clarify, the current administration's targeting of higher education is not simply about broad enforcement of national security; it is a suppression of specific viewpoints and perspectives that do not align with those in power. 

It is critical to encourage scholars, students, citizens, and universities to follow a call to action. Universities must refuse to comply with unjust data requests, offer legal and financial support to affected students, and create international partnerships to protect academic exchange and integrity. We must mobilize support for universities like Harvard, which are currently involved in litigation with the U.S. administration. As we consider our nation's role in the global academic community, we must thoughtfully weigh how our policies toward international students and scholars will shape not only the futures of our educational institutions but also the U.S. standing in the world of knowledge exchange and cross-cultural understanding. 

We have to understand that the generational knowledge that has filtered down from those who have witnessed history and learned from it cannot be silenced. Today's university population, regardless of demographics and geographic origin, who have chosen higher education, are seeking to build on past knowledge they have learned from their forefathers; their ambition is to create futures for themselves and their communities, no matter where they have come from, that will provide the glue that binds us all together and will, eventually, make the United States great again.

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Glossary

• Academic freedom: The principle that scholars and students should have freedom to teach, learn, and express ideas without fear of censorship or retaliation.

• Bipartisan progress: Achievements or advancements in policy made with the cooperation and agreement of both major political parties.

• Censorship: The suppression or restriction of ideas, speech, or information, particularly as it relates to academic content and proposals.

• Civil rights: The rights of individuals to receive equal treatment and be free from discrimination in various settings, including education.

• Congressional mandate: Responsibilities or programs established by law that a government agency must carry out, such as those assigned to the Department of Education.

• Constitutional rights: Rights granted and protected by the constitution, such as freedom of speech and due process.

• Due Process: Legal principle that ensures fair treatment through the judicial system, including notice and a hearing before rights can be taken away.

• Economic perspective: The interpretation of events or policies based on their financial and economic impacts, such as funding for educational systems.

• Executive order: A directive from the President of the United States that manages operations of the federal government, such as the order to dismantle the Department of Education.

• Freedom of speech: The right to express one's opinions without censorship or restraint by the government.

• Geopolitical consequences: The political and economic effects of actions or policies on international relations and global standing.

• Government overreach: Excessive use of power by the government, often infringing on personal freedoms or institutional autonomy.

• ICE raids: Operations conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement targeting undocumented immigrants, often resulting in detentions.

• Institutional autonomy: The ability of academic institutions to govern themselves without undue influence or control by external forces, such as the government.

• Institutional intimidation: Efforts by authorities to pressure or coerce educational institutions, often involving threats or punitive measures.

• Nationalist, isolationist image: A political and ideological stance that emphasizes national interests and self-sufficiency, often at the expense of international cooperation and diversity.

• Op-ed: An article in a publication expressing the opinion of the author, often used to discuss controversial or significant issues.

• Revocation of visas: The cancellation of permissions granted to foreign students and individuals to enter or remain within a country, impacting their ability to study in the U.S.

• Student privacy laws: Regulations that protect personal information of students, ensuring it is not misused or disclosed without consent.

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights: A global document adopted by the United Nations outlining fundamental freedoms and rights due to every human being.

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Sources

1. Allam, H. (2025, April 13). Inside Rümeysa Öztürk’s journey from scholar to Trump target in Louisiana cell. ProPublica. https://www.propublica.org/article/rumeysa-ozturk-best-friend-inside-story-tufts-trump-louisiana-ice

2. American Council on Education. (2025, June 2). As Trump administration escalates visa crackdowns, higher ed community pushes back. News Room. https://www.acenet.edu/News-Room/Pages/Higher-Ed-Pushes-Back-on%20Visa-Crackdowns.aspx

3. Hegarty, N. (2014). Where we are now – The presence and importance of international students to universities in the United States. Journal of International Students, 4(3), 223–235. https://doi.org/10.32674/jis.v4i3.462

4. Mimbela, R., & Schifeling, D. (2025, April 4). Trump’s Department of Education attack explained: ACLU. American Civil Liberties Union. https://www.aclu.org/news/racial-justice/trumps-attack-on-the-department-of-education-explained

5. Romine, T., et al. (2025, April 18). DHS threatens to revoke Harvard’s eligibility to host foreign students amid broader battle over universities’ autonomy. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2025/04/16/us/harvard-kristi-noem-international-students

6. Tufts University. (2025). Rumeysa Öztürk: Our student, teacher, colleague, and friend. Eliot- Pearson Department of Child Study & Human Development. https://as.tufts.edu/epcshd/news-events/news/rumeysa-ozturk-our-student-teacher-colleague-and-friend

7. Trump administration blocks Harvard from enrolling foreign students, threatens broader crackdown. (2025, May 22). Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-blocks-harvards-ability-enroll-international-students-nyt-reports-2025-05-22/

8. Trump team pauses new student visa interviews as it weighs expanding social media vetting. (2025, May 27). Politico. https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/27/trump-team-orders-stop-to-new-student-visa-interviews-as-it-weighs-expanding-social-media-vetting-00370501

9. United Nations. (n.d.). Universal Declaration of Human Rights. https://www.un.org/en/about-us/universal-declaration-of-human-rights

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