Universities receive fewer students with Trump immigration policies
Manuel attributed this year’s decline to the difficulties of students in obtaining visas and the fact that they lose interest in studying in the US after changes in federal politics.
The Depaul is among the dozens of educational institutions that have announced budget cuts in response to Trump government policies, which include billions of funding for academic research programs, many of which are strong attractions for foreign students. The total number of enrollments is not yet available, but the first numbers collected by Reuters suggest that many international graduate students of the first year are choosing to study elsewhere.
Student visas are also in Trump’s sights. Some have been revoked, and those seeking new visas face delays. The US State Department has required future students to make their social media accounts public so that government officials who examine visa requests can exclude those who have attitudes considered hostile from the United States.
In May, the government prevented Harvard University from enrolling international students, claiming that the institution failed to deal with anti -Semitism and ethnic harassment on the campus. A US district court has temporarily blocked the action, but the government filed an appeal.
“We are all concerned about the security of our community members, the protection of academic freedom and the new financial challenges resulting from changes in federal financing and visa processing,” Manuel wrote to the Depaul’s faculty.
“These concerns are so serious and debilitating that it is becoming difficult to recognize higher education.”
