Impact of Immigration policy on International Students in the U.S

I researched the impact of immigration policy on international students in the U.S because I wanted to find out why international students face difficulties in the immigration process when they want to study in the US. I wanted to know the root cause of the problem in order to understand why there are challenges and discrimination despite international students having a vital contribution to the U.S economy (Feeney, etal, 2023). They are also critical in promoting diversity and bringing a multicultural environment to learning institutions. An analysis of the topic established that despite the immense contribution international students have to the US, their challenges and experiences remain understudied.

Many international students aspire to study in the U.S due to the quality of education offered and the availability of abundant opportunities. There is no doubt that U.S education is valued internationally, and it is among the top-ranked higher education systems in the world. Despite this, I found that international students face critical challenges at the immigration office when applying to study in the U.S. The first issue relates to unexpected denials and delays, which have become increasingly common and affect access to education.

The research established that visa processing delays and denials impact educational and career plans. The outbreak of COVID-19 interfered with travel plans, and the pandemic significantly influenced visa processing and international traveling. COVID-19 containment measures resulted in limited access and closure of U.S embassies and consulates, traveling restrictions, and personal safety considerations. The most significant current scholarly views in my area argue that the challenges in acquiring a visa, the inability to travel, and the concurrent academic and financial hardships aggravated the mental health of international students (Olatunj, etal, 2023). The challenges the international students faced during the COVID-19 pandemic heightened anxiety and depression. On July 6, 2020, the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency issued a notice of temporal exemption, which reduced online program enrollment in an online program. The agency also revoked visas, and thus, international students could not continue their studies. The report further indicates that even after the US lifted the visa application restrictions, in some countries, embassies were not functioning, and international students could not travel. Indeed, the newly enacted visa rules, flight cancellations, and global lockdown exacerbated immigration challenges (Mbous, etal, 2022).

Trump's administration tried to prevent international students from entering and remaining in the US, but schools offered only online courses. The policy was objected to as it caused confusion and frustration in US universities and colleges. The American Immigration Council cites that the US Immigration Policy increases educational opportunities for international students. However, I object to this as changes to the OPT program and cut of funding on international programs affected the education system, and enrolment decreased. In the wake of the pandemic, enrollments of international students in 2020 reduced by 16% compared to 2019.

With my research, I have advanced my understanding in the area because it sheds light on the challenges international students experience at the immigration offices. We also got to understand how COVID-19 affected immigration and made it difficult for people to get their visas. More importantly, we get to know that the pandemic caused international students to develop mental health problems like depression, stress, and anxiety. My view is that the immigration process should be simplified to prevent delays and facilitate international studies.

Annotated Bibliography

Feeney MK, Jung H, Johnson TP, Welch EW. U.S. Visa and Immigration Policy Challenges: Explanations for Faculty Perceptions and Intent to Leave [published online ahead of print, 2023 Mar 6]. Res High Educ. 2023;1-27. doi:10.1007/s11162-023-09731-0

This article talks about the challenges faced by US visa and immigration policy on faculty perceptions and intent to leave. It discusses the negative impacts of these policies on international student applications, employment of international scholars, and research collaborations. The authors used a survey of US-born and foreign-born scientists to find that these policies have led to disruptions in research and negative effects on recruitment and retention of international trainees. They also found that these policies have increased intentions to leave the US.

Mbous YPV, Mohamed R, Rudisill TM. International students challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic in a university in the United States: A focus group study [published online ahead of print, 2022 Feb 4]. Curr Psychol. 2022;1-13. doi:10.1007/s12144-022-02776-x

This is an article about the challenges international students faced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted at a university in the United States. The researchers found that international students faced a number of challenges, including residency challenges, lifestyle changes, negative affect, and social support. The researchers also found that universities can play a role in providing relief to international students during these challenging times.

Olatunji EA, Ogunsola A, Elenwa F, et al. COVID-19: Academic, Financial, and Mental Health Challenges Faced by International Students in the United States Due to the Pandemic. Cureus. 2023;15(6):e41081. Published 2023 Jun 28. doi:10.7759/cureus.41081

The authors talk about the challenges faced by international students in the United States due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It discusses academic, financial, and mental health challenges. The study found that the majority of students experienced challenges with online classes, and many reported having negative emotions. Financial challenges, such as the inability to pay bills, were also common. These challenges had a negative impact on the mental health of the students.