Khadija Mahmoud is packing her things in preparation for her summer internship train ride from Washington, DC, to New York City.

At Georgetown University, Mahmoud, a 21-year-old international student, recently completed her junior year. After receiving advice from her immigration lawyer not to travel abroad for the summer because of new border control measures for international students, she is now nervous and concerned.

The State Department ordered U.S. embassies worldwide to temporarily suspend new student visa appointments on May 27. This is the latest in a series of measures aimed at international students, as the Trump administration looks to increase social media screenings for applicants.

"Every development that comes has been equally terrifying and extremely turbulent," Mahmoud told Al Jazeera while speaking from her college room in Washington, DC.

According to numerous other international students, they feel compelled to remain anonymous out of fear that they would be deported for even minor infractions.

1.1 million international students

A little over 1.1 million foreign students studied in the United States during the 2023–2024 school year, according to NAFSA, a US nonprofit organization that focuses on student exchange and international education.

These foreign students accounted for 5.6% of the almost 19 million students enrolled in US higher education.

There were 277,398 students from China (25 percent) and 331,602 students from India (29 percent), for a total of 54% of the student body.

‘Major loss for the United States’

Fanta Aw, the CEO and executive director of NAFSA and a former international student, says she recognizes the importance of cultural exchange between international students and local communities on a personal and professional level, especially in today's hyperconnected world.

Other nations are already accepting students and will open their arms, so I think this is a huge loss for the United States, Aw told Al Jazeera.

Students seek clarity. Their desire is for constancy. They also wish to know if the system is effective. She continues, "And they're already losing trust if they keep seeing action after action."

"If you keep going in this direction, you might never get over this, but you will have years to do so. Since other nations are vying for these same pupils by that time.

It's Germany. We are traveling to Japan. Korea is on our itinerary. Malaysia is a well-liked destination for students. In the Middle East, the US faces competition from numerous American-style colleges.

Where are foreign students studying?

Major institutions on the East and West coasts are home to a large number of international students, but a sizable portion also attend prestigious universities in the Midwest and other US regions.

The most international students were found in New York City during the 2023–2024 academic year, with 27,247 attending New York University and 20,321 at Columbia University, according to statistics gathered by Open Doors.