International students come to the United States with hope. They come for opportunity, for education and for a future. What they do not come for is fear.
And yet, an unprecedented fear is the reality many international students across the country are faced with. Not due to any of their own actions, but because the rules around them are changing — quietly, unevenly and without explanation.
International students deserve certainty.
Instead, they are receiving warning emails from university offices, providing a ‘Special Weekly Message’ about the potential visa revocations or what protests to avoid. They are being told, implicitly and explicitly, that they are different — that speaking up, participating in political discourse or simply being visible could make them a target. Now, in some cases, they are losing their visas without warning or due process.
The Trump administration has already revoked the visas of at least 12 international students at Michigan State University. The reasons as to why remain unclear.
This is not just an education issue — it’s a civil liberties issue. It is playing out on campuses across the country in a dangerous silence.
To its credit, MSU has taken a stand. President Kevin Guskiewicz wrote a letter to the campus community affirming support for international students, and the university joined an amicus brief, along with 85 other institutions, aimed at protecting the rights of international students to study in the United States by contesting the Trump administration.
These actions are not just a gesture — they’re a model. MSU has shown that universities do not have to wait on Washington to act with principle. They don’t need to surrender to the actions of a presidential administration at the expense of students. MSU set a precedent of support and advocacy that it now must uphold. Students need clear answers to urgent questions.
What protections exist for students whose visas are revoked mid-semester? Can they continue their education remotely? What guidelines are in place for lawful protest and student expression? Who is being targeted — and why?
These are not theoretical questions. Students are being forced to pack bags overnight. Faculty are left without guidance when students disappear. Others are living in fear that the rug could be pulled out from under them at any moment. The chilling effect on campuses is spreading — fast.
We understand universities are navigating uncharted territory and therefore still lack answers. But while MSU seeks those answers, it must maintain transparency and consistently communicate with the community.
Universities must not become passive enforcers of opaque federal policy. They must be advocates for every student’s education, regardless of nationality.
At The State News, we don’t get enough specific information about revoked visas or the state of international students’ education for our stories. That frustration is nothing in comparison to the paranoia and anxiety international students feel.
International students do not travel here lightly. For most, accepting an offer from a United States university requires hours of paperwork, immense financial costs and moving to a new location with no established support system. Pursuing an education in this way is an act of bravery and grit.
The value of an international education is not just what it gives to those students — it’s what they bring to the university and its community: innovation, culture, perspective and dialogue. They become members of our communities; they make friends, families and build lives here. They deserve certainty.
The State News Editorial Board is made up of editor-in-chief Liz Nass, managing editor Zachary Balcoff, campus editor Amalia Medina, life editor Kendra Gilchrist, sports editor Satvik Shubham, copy chief Claire Donohoe, multimedia editor Brendan Mullin, staff representative Jack Williams and DEI manager Jada Vasser.
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