TEMPE, AZ — Arizona State University is now urging some international students to return to the United States and remain in the country until they graduate.
An email sent on June 6 from ASU's International Students and Scholars Center, and obtained by ABC15, "strongly recommends" students return to the U.S. by Monday, June 9 if they are out of the country. The email adds that students are recommended to not leave the U.S. until the completion of their degrees. It is unclear how many students the email was sent to.
It's an escalated warning from Arizona's largest university, which has told international students and academics in the past that their ability to be in the country could be impacted under the administration of President Donald Trump. The guidance comes as the president's extensive new travel ban took effect, prohibiting nationals from 12 countries from entering the country while imposing partial restrictions on seven others.
The Trump Administration's efforts to reduce immigration, even legal immigration, from certain countries may lead to some students being unwilling to study in the U.S. in the future, academics ABC15 spoke to said.
"Students there, or I should say prospective students there, are seeing what's happening and are deeply concerned," said Michael Kintscher, president of the United Campus Workers of Arizona.
The union, which organizes labor for faculty, staff, and students at Arizona's public universities, issued its own guidance Monday, echoing the university's concerns. Kintscher said that university faculty had been informally advising students to stay in the country for weeks before the university sent its email Friday.
Kintscher said students being unable to move between their home country and the U.S. could impact students' abilities to get their visas renewed, since they often are required to travel home to do so. Kintscher added that beyond logistical challenges, the current situation could hurt students' ability to graduate and succeed in their careers. Many university students, particularly in STEM fields, are expected to travel outside of the country to meet graduation requirements.
"This has affected not only personal travel but also professional or academic travel, where they may be traveling abroad to go to conferences or get a professional certification," Kintscher explained.
Arizona State is home to more than 17,000 international students, more than almost any other university in the country.
Kintscher, and other scholars ABC15 spoke with, worry the new federal administration's approach to immigration will discourage students and international talent from coming to the U.S. in the long term, resulting in a severe "brain drain."
"Regardless of how the university responds at this point, actions that the federal administration has taken have already chilled the likelihood of international students coming to the United States," Kintscher said.
The Higher Ed Immigration Portal states there are currently 27,883 international students in Arizona.
Arizona State University gave the following statement in response to requests for comment on the guidance: "With more than 17,000 international students, Arizona State University has one of the largest international student communities in the country. ASU is monitoring the situation closely and remains committed to fully supporting all international students in completing their degree programs.
The university’s International Students and Scholars Center is always available with the resources and guidance to support our international students and respond to their needs regardless of situation. ISSC Support | ISSC | ASU [issc.asu.edu]"
