By Marissa Muniz | LTVN Reporter, Cole Gee | Staff Writer
Last week, Baylor’s International Student and Scholar Services sent an email travel advisory to all international students across campus, expressing concern for students going home this summer due to possible complications in returning to the U.S. come August.
“Federal policies can change, and we cannot guarantee that students who travel outside of the U.S. will not face difficulties or even rejection at the U.S. port of entry upon their return,” the email reads. “Our advice has been and continues to be that students should not travel outside the U.S. unless necessary. In order to minimize your chance of facing any disruptions to your academic program, we advise students to stay in the U.S. for now.”
Other universities have released similar statements in the past month, including Brown University, Cornell and Columbia, each warning their international students to avoid traveling back home over spring break.
International students’ educational experiences in the U.S. are at risk as the Trump Administration revoked the student visas for over 300 international students across the country. Last Thursday at a press conference, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said any international student whose visa was revoked could face deportation.
“Once you’ve lost your visa, you’re no longer legally in the United States,” Rubio said. “If you come to the U.S. as a visitor and create a ruckus for us, we don’t want it.”
International students on campus express disappointed at the thought of staying away from home for summer break. Reynosa, Mexico junior Luis Valdez said he is disappointed he might not be able to see his family again back in Mexico.
“Getting told that your advice is not to go and visit your family, it’s kind of shocking,” Valdez said.
Despite the initial shock from the email, he knows his summer plans will eventually work itself out in the end.
“I’m just trying to take the best out of it,” Valdez said. “If that means I get to stay over the summer and work on research, then that’s fine. If that means that I also have a job so I can just stay here over the summer and work, then I guess that’s fine. But if I could go back home and meet up with my family, that’d be great.”
Currently, there are no official restrictions in place that might affect student travel and visas. Mark Bryant, director of International Student and Scholar Services, emphasized that Baylor is working to stay on top of the matter and support students’ safety.
“We’re getting close to the end of the semester, and students are thinking about summer,” Bryant said. “We’re starting to see some things, even though nothing’s official, and that’s why we sent the email out.”
Bryant encouraged any students who may have concerns to come by the Center for Global Engagement, located on the first floor of Sid Richardson in the East wing.
“We really try to tell students, ‘Please come talk to us about your concerns,'” Bryant said. “We can communicate a lot of things by email or on a website if we choose to do that, but we really feel like it’s better when students are processing if they’ll just come talk to us.”
Baylor University spokesperson Lori Fogleman reiterated Bryant’s sentiments and the university’s commitment to supporting international students on campus in a statement.
“Baylor is fully committed to building and fostering a caring Christian community, and our international students are an essential and valued part of our campus,” Fogleman said. “We are aware of the ongoing decisions impacting international students at colleges and universities across the country. We encourage our international students to contact International Student and Scholar Services in the Center for Global Engagement, especially if they have questions about travel or any other concerns. Both of these offices stand ready to assist our international students during these uncertain times.”
