Universities Warn International Students as Travel Ban Concerns Rise
Ivy League institutions, including Brown and Cornell, have recommended that students from select countries, such as China, exercise caution and consider early travel.
Various universities are advising international students and staff to think about shortening their semester breaks to return to campus prior to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025.
These universities express concern that Trump might swiftly implement a travel ban affecting certain foreign nationals’ re-entry into the United States.
Before the fall semester concludes, institutions such as Cornell University, Harvard University, Brown University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst have communicated travel warnings to students and staff who might be impacted by such an order, according to their official websites or documents shared with The Epoch Times.
Cornell University, which starts its spring semester on Jan. 21, indicated that Trump may “likely” enact a travel ban affecting citizens from Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Myanmar, Sudan, Tanzania, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela, Yemen, and Somalia.
During his previous term, Trump enforced a temporary travel ban on countries identified as terrorism hotspots until those nations provided sufficient background information for the U.S. government to issue visas.
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According to the guidance, “International students and scholars from outside of these areas of concern are not likely to be affected by a travel ban or targeted visa suspension.”
“Individuals who are not citizens of these countries but are merely transiting through them en route to the United States are also unlikely to be impacted.”
Cornell University’s website highlights that, as of the fall 2023 semester, the school has 6,745 international students from 130 countries and 1,224 employees representing 93 countries.
This demographic includes at least one individual from many of the countries mentioned in the Nov. 26 advisory, except for Libya, North Korea, Sudan, Tanzania, and Yemen.
Additionally, it noted that an immigration attorney will be accessible that week for inquiries.
“MIT will keep its community informed about any official updates. For the time being, our advice to students and scholars emphasizes important dates and encourages them to depend on official sources for information regarding any developments,” stated Kimberly Allen, the executive director of media relations.
Other institutions, including the University of Pennsylvania, Wesleyan University, and the University of Southern California, are also reported to have issued advisories to international students about returning to campus prior to the inauguration; however, these universities did not respond to The Epoch Times’ inquiries for confirmation and additional details.
Scott Walker, the former Wisconsin governor and president of Young America’s Foundation, an organization promoting conservative viewpoints on college campuses, criticized the university leadership for their assumptions.
“As long as they are adhering to U.S. laws, students will be safe here in America,” Walker stated in an email to The Epoch Times.
Tom Ozimek contributed to this report.
