Chapman international student policy unaffected despite threats under the Trump administration

Photo Collage by Samantha Rosinski, Staff Photographer

International students at Chapman University have not yet felt the effects of the Trump administration’s policies, but those abroad hoping to study in the U.S. may encounter new obstacles. 

In his first three weeks in office, President Donald Trump cracked down on immigration, fulfilling a key campaign promise. International students make up 5% of those enrolled in U.S. higher education. 

The effects were felt even before Trump took office, as several universities, including Harvard, Cornell and the University of Massachusetts advised their international students to return to campus before the inauguration on Jan. 20, due to concerns of a potential travel ban. The concerns arose because during his first term, Trump signed Proclamation 9645 in 2017, banning travel from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen, which left multiple international students unable to return to the U.S.

Pavisporn Ortega, Chapman’s international student advisor, said there have not been any changes seen to the F-1 student visa policy, but that greater wait times for processing visas might occur. 

“As long as you have maintained and abided by your immigration status, you should not have any problems,” Ortega told The Panther in an email. 

Xochitl Lopez, associate director of immigration programs, gave a similar statement. 

“At this time, there are no new policies from the new president that are impacting our international student group,” said Lopez in an email. 

Senior Arturo Haber, a computer science major and international student from Mexico, said he does not have concerns about being an international student under the Trump administration. 

“I'm not super worried about myself because all the programs like the F-1 visa still stand,” he said. “I think all this stuff is kind of crazy, but I don't think it truly affects me specifically, or international students.” 

While current Chapman students remain unaffected by recent executive orders on immigration, future international students may encounter a more challenging visa application process.

Trump signed an executive order on Jan. 2o to “vet and screen to the maximum degree possible all aliens who intend to be admitted, enter, or are already inside the United States,” aimed at improving national security. In turn, international students applying for visas might face more scrutiny with rigorous background checks and screenings. 

According to political science professor Ronald Steiner there is still much uncertainty surrounding the policy, but it has the potential to make obtaining a visa more difficult. 

“Hard to say what the effect is going to be right now, but there's good grounds to worry, the system as it stands is complicated,” Steiner said. “Making an already convoluted system more convoluted has to have an impact. Now, I don't know if it's a big impact. I don't know if it's a small impact.” 

Steiner said foreign students from countries in the Middle East and Africa are already subject to more security and an executive order implementing extreme vetting could further target these groups and cause even greater delays.

“Even a delay means, ‘well, I can't start the semester, so I guess I can't go,’” said Steiner. 

Senior Helene Vlok, international transfer business administration and art history double major, immigrated from South Africa in early 2023 and started the Chapman admission process in May of that same year. She found the resources the school provided to be useful in having a smooth transition, but acknowledged that the process may look different now.

“I was really lucky to immigrate when I did and to have the help of the international admissions officer I was assigned,” Vlok said. “I recognize that some international students might be feeling unsure, or the transfer process might be more challenging now, but I, myself, am feeling secure.” 

The U.S. economy and workforce have benefited from international students who stay and apply the skills and knowledge gained at U.S. universities to pursue careers in the country.

“I think Obama used to say, everybody who gets a Ph.D., we should staple a green card to the back of it, because what we've invested, they've worked in our research labs, they've learned how to do pharmaceutical stuff or engineering stuff,” Steiner said. “Why forgo all that expertise and let them leave? Why not invite them to stay?”

At Chapman international students are eligible for universal-funded employment and general employment. Students with approved work authorization and employment offers for paid positions will be approved for a Social Security Number (SSN). Haber said his visa status has not impacted his ability to work in the U.S. and that Chapman helped him with his process in obtaining an internship over the summer. 

“Chapman was able to work with me so I could get a social security number, which was cool,” Haber told The Panther. 

According to Haber, Chapman also provides international students with an advisor to help with understanding visa requirements post graduation. 

“Today, I have a meeting with my international advisor, and I'll ask her any questions about my post graduation appointment and stuff like that,” he said. 

During the All-In Podcast in June 2024, Trump promised to give green cards to non-citizens who graduate from a four-year university. Shortly after, his campaign double-downed on strict immigration policies and no further action was taken to grant green cards. 

Haber said when it comes to policy changes, Chapman has not informed him, and he had to stay up to date on his own. 

“I don't think I've ever found anything out from Chapman on changing policies or my rights, so I think it's more on my own,” he said. 

As the new administration continues to tighten immigration policies, Steiner said this could discourage students from choosing to study in the U.S., especially as other countries make the process easier.

“We’re already doing enough to deter or dissuade people from coming to study in the United States,” he said. “Every extra thing we do is going to interfere with what we once thought of as one of the most important advantages the United States had in global competition, which is the best and the brightest from around the world who want to come here, want to learn, and in many cases, want to stay and continue to contribute to life in the United States.”

Lopez said Chapman continues to monitor the situation and any new policies that will impact international students. 

“We are keeping up to date with changes that can potentially affect students in the future,” she said. “But as of now, there is no indication of changes impacting our international degree students.”