“I realized any new policies that would be implemented might affect me. Since I have no alternative other than studying here in the US for the next four years, it [was] a bit risky to go during very short breaks,” Ahmed said.

While there have not been executive orders signed into law that directly target international students, institutions and students alike are anxious about what is to come. 

In his previous administration, Trump implemented a ban on travel to the US from seven Muslim-majority countries (also known as the “Muslim ban”), suspended the issuance of H-1Bs (post-study work visas), and cancelled thousands of Chinese students’ study visas, among other orders impacting international students. 

Most recently, Trump promised to sign an executive order to cancel visas of international students who broke laws during pro-Palestine protests, suggesting the start of his target of immigrant students.

After the election results, Tana Ruegamer, Slater International Center Director and Advisor, sent an email to all international students, urging them to come back to Wellesley College before Jan. 20. While the email did not explicitly state that this was Trump’s inauguration date, Ruegamer mentioned that the Slater staff “will do our best to offer support and guidance as we move through this period of time together.” 

With a large degree of uncertainty in the air, some international students expressed how Trump’s presidency has already affected their future travel plans.

“It would also affect my summer plans. I know that if I left, there might be something that will happen during the summer, and then they’ll say ‘people from this specific country cannot come back’ or ‘they should not get a visa.’ It’s actually my main struggle right now,” Ahmed said. Sudan was one of the countries included in the previous Muslim ban. 

Ahmed’s F-1, or student visa, has expired, complicating her situation. While the typical duration of F-1 visas is four years, some countries only have an F-1 duration of less than two years, meaning that those students will need to reapply for a visa to come back to the US.

However, other international students have not expressed concern about travel at the moment. 

“I think Trump is not affecting me at all because I’ve been doing a STEM degree, so I get a three-year extension in America for my visa. Also, going back home is non-negotiable for me. Most of my friends are the same, so I don’t think it’s really affecting us that much,” said Sanaa Sharma ’25, an Economics and English major from India. 

However, Sharma echoes the uncertainty of Trump’s first couple of months in office.

“I think it’s so uncertain right now. I think if I am concerned, I will be in six months when I see what’s happening. But not now,” Sharma said.

In a statement from Ruegamer on behalf of the Slater International Center, she echoes this sentiment of uncertainty. 

“Because of the ever-changing nature of Trump’s agenda, we will also be flexible with the support we offer depending on the circumstances,” Ruegamer wrote.

The Slater International Center will be offering many resources for international students in the coming months. This includes having a CommuniTea series to speak informally about their concerns, organizing 1:1 consultations with Slater representatives, providing Red Cards for students to understand their rights, and working with an immigration attorney.

Still, some are concerned about how much the Slater resources would really help all international students. 

“For people whose countries are on the blacklist, [the resources] are not that helpful,” said Ahmed, “I believe, as international students, we should just accept the realities of our countries, and the relationship between our countries and the US.”

Contact the editors responsible for this story: Ruby Barenberg, Sazma Sarwar, and Valida Pau

Despite growing up under completely different educational systems, students around the world compete for a spot in elite American colleges as a means of accessing higher-quality education and socioeconomic mobility. Many students aspire to work in the US after graduation, as it is the forefront in many fields, not to mention higher salaries. For students from countries like China and Russia, staying in the US also means enjoying various freedoms of expression, which in their home country are privileges, not rights. 

Working after graduation usually hinges upon the H1B visa, which is obtained via lottery. Luckily, international students have a bit of time. After graduation, F-1 visa students are granted one year of “optional practical training,” or OPT, which requires working full-time in an area directly related to their area of study. STEM students (which, at Wellesley, luckily includes Economics) can apply for a 24-month extension, effectively giving them three chances in the visa lottery. Historically, the number of visas granted is capped at 65,000 (with an additional 20,000 for graduate students) per year, with the odds oscillating between 25% and 40%. 

With a Donald Trump presidency term, this predictability is a lost luxury. Looking back to his first term, the “Buy American and Hire American” executive order triggered H1B denial rates to surge from 13% in 2017 to 24% in 2018. To international students, denial means they must leave the US within 60 days, regardless of whether they can find a job elsewhere with similar pay and required skill sets. The real fear lies in the policies that could potentially be passed this term. In 2015, Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Jeff Sessions (R-AL) proposed a bill that entirely eliminated the OPT and required a minimum salary of $110,000, which fortunately has been abandoned after the 2016 elections. Trump recently  appointed Kristi Noem to lead the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees  the US Citizenship and Immigration Services. Noem, who was an opponent of COVID-19 safety measures and denies climate change, doesn’t seem too friendly towards international students, as evidenced by her firm adherence to the MAGA movement. 

Alternatively, some students secure jobs that provide visa sponsorship, where the employer provides documentation that justifies why hiring an immigrant worker is necessary. However, these positions tend to be highly competitive seats in large multinational companies, concentrated in software and finance. In anticipation of tightening H1B approvals, international students must either secure a sponsored job, or at least declare a STEM major to buy two years of time. Finding a third country — such as the U.K. — is an alternative for those who are determined not to return to their home country. Considering that liberal arts colleges have limited recognition as prestigious institutions outside of the US, the Wellesley degree loses much of its power. In the end, college is no longer a safe space to explore, but a four-year grace period before the F-1 bomb explodes.

After the election, I was enraged, betrayed by the land of opportunity that I had entrusted my future to. Anger sizzled into bitterness and finally, disillusionment. As a non-immigrant, the country had almost zero obligations towards me, even less than that towards refugees. Realizing I had gambled my parents’ hard-earned money for my own future, I settled upon a politely suppressed fear.

While the election conversation at Wellesley focuses on abortion, the loss of trans rights, and protection of the families of undocumented immigrants, one in eight students face the uncertain future of their ability to live and work in the US post graduation. Fully paying and often well-dressed, international students can seem like a rather privileged group, almost undeserving of occupying the post-election discourse, but they certainly face a kind of existential threat. With limited knowledge of partisan forces and no affiliation to particular states, it can be hard for international students to participate in election conversations in the first place. Appreciative of the good intentions of the Community for Political Engagement (CPE) and Slater International Center, I skipped the self-care conversations. Tucking my coloring books and half-finished scarf into the bottom drawer, I turned to LinkedIn, determined to outsmart the man who called my family carriers of the “kung flu.”

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Lyla Ma ’28 is a student from Shanghai, China. Ma had never experienced a democratic election in her home country, so she assumed she could watch the election in a passive manner. She realized quickly it was much more than that to her. 

“The result was heartbreaking to me; not only does it greatly affect my immigration prospect, which is gloomy at this point, but it also shows that a large part of the world is growing more conservative. I am indeed unsure and scared of what is to come, but I find comfort knowing that I have siblings here with me,” Ma said.

While most international students are only citizens of their home country, some Wellesley international students are dual US citizens. Meera Baswan ’27 is a dual Canada-US citizen, and this was her first time voting in US elections. As she reflected on the election results, she was constantly struck by the implications of a Trump presidency for Canada-US relations and the difference between the direction American and Canadian political systems are heading in. 

“Given Trump’s infamous protectionist policies, I’m concerned about how his presidency will affect trade relations between Canada and the US, especially with his plan to impose 10% tariffs on all imported goods,” Baswan explained. “The policy … would both increase the prices of goods here in the US and negatively hit the Canadian economy, which relies on the US as its biggest trade partner.” 

She’s also worried about the social impacts of an increasing ideological shift to the right in America, with more radical right-wing rhetoric from Republicans and even a shift to the center from the Democrats this election season. Baswan compared this to Canada’s political system which also has a right-wing party (Conservatives) and left-wing party (Liberals), but the Conservative party in Canada is arguably closer in social issues to the Democrats than the Republicans. The Conservatives, while fiscally conservative, overall have a generally liberal stance on abortion rights, immigration and diversity. In contrast, the Republican party in America has espoused extreme rhetoric on restricting abortion access and attacking immigrant groups in the United States, often using inflammatory language along the way. 

“Throughout the next four years, we will see how Trump’s presidency will affect Canada-US relations for the better or worse, and the growing split between the Canadian political system and the US political system,” Baswan concluded. 

For Sanika Merchant ’25, who has grown up in India as a US citizen, this election season was particularly significant. It was her first time being physically present in the US during election season, and it helped her realize the level of responsibility and influence she has as a voter.

“In addition, I made great efforts to properly familiarize myself with the different candidates’ policies and be as involved in election-related events as possible,” Merchant pointed out.

For Merchant, election night was “emotional” and “overwhelming” following her expectation that it would be a close race. When the results were announced, it compelled her to think about the socio-political implications for both herself as well as close friends and family both in the United States and abroad. Expanding on these sentiments, Merchant described being “cognizant of potential policy changes in this term that could impact her family’s ability to come to the US from India in the long-term.” 

As an Economics major, Merchant also pointed out potential economic implications of the new US presidency. “Policy changes, such as immigration and international tariffs, could pose serious implications for inflation in the US. Given our recovery from sky-high inflation during the pandemic, I think this is an important matter to consider.” 

For many Wellesley students, the recent Presidential election brought with it a myriad of emotions and prompted a rethinking of the social, political and economic impact that policies in the upcoming term would bring about. As Wellesley moves on post-election, it remains to be seen what the implications of a Trump presidency will have on policy and rhetoric that affects them, and how they might make their voices heard — both on campus and as students in the changing US political landscape.

Image credit: AP Photo, Jeffrey Phelps

Contact the editors responsible for this story: Phoebe Rebhorn and Diya Khanna