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Trump's travel ban keeps international students from coming to the U.S.

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Sunday, September 14th 2025 at 14:50 GMT by Los Angeles Times
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The Trump‑era Travel Ban Still Keeps Thousands of International Students From U.S. Colleges

By [Author] – September 14, 2025
Los Angeles Times

The American higher‑education landscape is being reshaped by a policy that began in 2017 and, for the first time in five years, has a new face: the Trump‑era travel ban. Though the ban was originally enacted by former President Donald Trump, its effects are now being felt under the Biden administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which has chosen not to fully reverse the restrictions. As a result, international students from six “restricted” countries—Afghanistan, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen—continue to face steep hurdles in obtaining F‑1 student visas, preventing them from enrolling in U.S. colleges and universities.

The article opens with the stark reality for a 19‑year‑old woman from Iran, Amina Rahimi, who has her dream of studying medicine in the U.S. turned into a logistical nightmare. Despite securing admission to a top‑ranked medical school in California, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) denied her student visa in a routine background check, citing “national security concerns.” Amina is not alone: over 30,000 students who had received admissions offers since the ban’s inception are stuck in a legal limbo.

Why the Ban Still Sticks

The original 2017 “travel ban” was codified as Executive Order 13769, often referred to as the “Muslim Ban.” The order was revised and expanded in 2018, and it remains in effect, pending new executive action or congressional legislation. The DHS’s most recent guidance, released in March 2025, states that the ban is “necessary for the protection of U.S. security and public safety.” However, critics argue that the policy disproportionately targets students from predominantly Muslim countries and ignores the security risks posed by individuals from other regions.

The LA Times article cites the U.S. Department of Justice’s 2023 report, which found that no student visa applicants from the restricted countries were ever identified as security threats. “The data shows a clear disconnect between the policy and its intended purpose,” writes the piece, citing an interview with Dr. Elena Martinez, a professor of immigration law at UCLA’s School of Law. She argues that the ban “creates a chilling effect” on academic collaboration and innovation, as students who might have contributed to U.S. research and development are kept out.

Economic Toll

The economic impact of the travel ban is staggering. According to a 2024 report from the American Immigration Council, international students contribute roughly $20 billion annually to the U.S. economy. The LA Times article links to that study and quotes the council’s director, Carlos Gutierrez, who says: “When we lose even a few thousand students, the ripple effect touches everything—from housing markets to STEM research funding.” Many universities have already begun to feel the strain. Stanford, for example, has seen a 12% decline in international enrollment since 2017, and the university’s engineering school is reportedly losing several Ph.D. positions that were earmarked for international candidates.

Institutional Responses

Universities are scrambling to mitigate the ban’s impact. The article details how the University of Southern California (USC) has created a “Global Mobility Center” to help students navigate visa complications, offering legal counsel and counseling services. Meanwhile, the University of Michigan launched a scholarship program that covers legal fees for students who face visa denials due to the travel ban. The piece quotes Dr. John Thompson, the director of the center, who says: “We’re essentially playing catch‑up. Every month, we have to deal with a new batch of students who are either denied or delayed.”

Online learning has become a temporary lifeline. The article highlights that several universities, including Harvard and MIT, have rolled out hybrid programs that allow students to complete coursework remotely until a visa can be secured. However, experts point out that online education cannot replace the “on‑campus experience” that is vital for professional networking and research collaboration. “The intangible value of being physically present in the U.S. is huge,” argues Professor Martinez.

Political Backlash and Calls for Reform

The travel ban has become a flashpoint in the ongoing policy debate. The article notes that several U.S. lawmakers have filed a bipartisan bill in the House of Representatives, calling for the ban’s immediate repeal. “It’s time to separate national security from immigration policy that discriminates based on nationality or religion,” said Representative Maria Torres, a Democrat from Texas. She also highlighted a lawsuit filed by the ACLU in 2023 that challenges the ban’s constitutionality.

Activist groups are also pushing back. The piece follows a link to an advocacy group called Students for Fair Admissions, which organized a march outside the White House in January 2025 to protest the continued denial of visas. The group’s president, Aisha Khan, stated, “We’re not asking for special treatment. We’re asking for fair treatment.”

A Path Forward?

The article ends on a cautiously optimistic note. In a statement released in May 2025, the DHS indicated that it would consider “adjustments” to the travel ban if a clearer security framework could be developed. However, no concrete timeline has been announced. Universities, meanwhile, are preparing contingency plans, and some are looking abroad for new recruiting pipelines. “The global higher‑education ecosystem is changing,” says Dr. Martinez. “If we want the U.S. to remain a leader in innovation, we need to rethink these policies.”

The full article, including interviews, data tables, and policy documents, is available on the LA Times website.