Santa Clara University Advises International Students to Postpone Travel
Photo provided by the Associated Press
Santa Clara University has issued a travel advisory to its international students and scholars, recommending they postpone travel outside the United States until further notice, according to a directive released by the University’s Global Engagement Office.
The notice, dated Jan. 20, applies to students and scholars with F-1 and J-1 visas and specifically mentions potential impacts on spring break and summer travel plans. The University cited an upcoming federal report, due March 21, that is expected to clarify travel restrictions.
“Postpone international travel until more clarity is provided by the federal government,” the University stated in its guidance. Students were also instructed to carry paper documentation of their international student status at all times.
Santa Clara University’s advisory follows similar notices from Brown, Columbia, Cornell and Yale universities in recent weeks. These advisories come as several cases involving international academics have drawn attention.
Dr. Rasha Alawieh, a kidney transplant specialist and professor at Brown University’s medical school, was detained at Boston Logan International Airport after returning from Lebanon on Mar. 13. According to court documents, Dr. Alawieh was held for 36 hours before being placed on a flight to Paris, despite a court order from Judge Leo T. Sorokin of the Federal District Court in Massachusetts temporarily blocking her expulsion.
In a subsequent order, Judge Sorokin stated there was reason to believe U.S. Customs and Border Protection had not followed his order to provide notice before deporting her.
Earlier this month, Ranjani Srinivasan, an Indian doctoral candidate at Columbia University, fled the United States for Canada after her F-1 student visa was revoked. The Department of Homeland Security stated that she “involved in activities supporting Hamas, a terrorist organization,” but did not include any further explanation.
“It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live & study in the United States of America,” Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary wrote on X. “When you advocate for violence and terrorism that privilege should be revoked and you should not be in this country.”
Noem had included surveillance footage showing Srinivasan with a suitcase in LaGuardia airport in Canada.
“I do think there’s a crazy climate of fear in universities,” Srinivasan said in an interview with CBS.
Most recently, on March 18, a federal judge ordered a stay on the deportation of Badar Khan Suri, a postdoctoral fellow at Georgetown University, after the Department of Homeland Security detained him.
According to multiple news reports, the Trump administration is reviewing a potential travel ban that could affect citizens from up to 43 countries. The reported plan would categorize countries into three tiers, with the most severe restrictions applying to citizens from 11 countries, including Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, Cuba and North Korea.
A U.S. State Department spokesperson stated the agency is conducting a review of visa programs to ensure foreign nationals do not pose a security threat.
International students at Santa Clara University described uncertainty about their status. An international student from India pursuing an M.S. in Computer Science and Engineering, who requested anonymity citing concerns about their immigration status, said they regularly see new policy changes.
“Every day, I open my phone and see new changes to policies that affect students like me,” the student said.
The student referenced Dr. Alawieh’s case as a factor in their decision-making. “I don't want to go back home because I saw what happened to the doctor from Brown University, and I'm afraid I won't be able to get back into the country.”
“My family has spent a lot of money so that I could get an education in America,” they added. “But if I leave, I might not be able to complete my degree.”
A 21-year-old master’s student of journalism at Columbia told USA TODAY they had canceled plans to visit family in India after graduation.
Elora Mukherjee, a clinical professor of law at Columbia Law School who specializes in immigration rights, described the current situation as “unprecedented.” She expressed concern about the executive branch’s approach to immigration enforcement.
Santa Clara University's Global Engagement office indicated it would provide updates as more information becomes available. The advisory noted, “Based on existing guidance, we have no information to suggest that individual situations will be excepted and students and scholars are urged to follow this advice.”
The University hosts 1,134 international students, according to data from the Global Engagement Office. The Office also reports that one-third of Santa Clara students participate in global programs, with undergraduates receiving an average of $116,000 in scholarships annually for study abroad opportunities.
The travel advisory creates a dilemma for the University, which has invested significantly in global education while now finding itself advising against international travel for a substantial portion of its student body.
According to government data, there are approximately 1.12 million international students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities nationwide.