International student enrollment in the United States has been increasing after falling during the COVID-19 pandemic, which is good news for American universities that depend on tuition revenue. Teachers worry that could soon change, two months into the Trump administration.

Students from other nations who are already in the United States have experienced increased pressure to control what they say after being unnerved by attempts to deport them due to their political beliefs.

According to a South Asian Ph.D. candidate at the University of Rochester, it feels too dangerous to discuss LGBTQ+ issues that she previously publicly supported or simply to be spotted close to a political protest. She probably won't come home for the summer because she fears being denied entry to the United States due to rumors of travel restrictions.

The student, who spoke under anonymity out of concern that authorities might target them, stated, "You're here for an education, so you've got to keep moving forward on that end."

However, it's also quite difficult to declare, "Okay, I'm at work." I must go to sleep. I can't have the news on my mind. Teachers fear that this delicate balancing effort will alienate international students. Students are left to question whether they will be able to obtain visas, travel freely, do research, or even voice their opinions as the U.S. government takes a tougher stance on immigration, reduces federal research funding, and starts to police campus activity.

The executive director of AIRC, a membership organization dedicated to attracting and enrolling international students, Clay Harmon, stated, "It has a chilling effect."

All of this contributes to the perception that the United States is not open or inviting, or that you would be in danger or trouble if you did visit, even if there are now no immediate consequences or limitations.

As per recruiting agencies, who recently traveled to India, the nation that sends the most students to the United States, there are considerably fewer Indian students interested in attending American universities than there were in previous years, Mr. Harmon said.

Students from Canada, China, India, and other countries have been looking for information and guidance on whether to go with their plans in the United States or to enroll in a college in the United Kingdom, Germany, or another European country.

International students are sought after as a source of full-price tuition payments and as a counterbalance to the decline in domestic enrollment.

NAFSA, an organization that supports international education, provided figures showing that 1.1 million international students at U.S. colleges and universities supported over 378,000 jobs and contributed an unprecedented $43.8 billion to the country's economy in the 2023–2024 school year.

According to NAFSA director Fanta Aw, international graduate students are equally crucial to the advancement of research.

Ms. Aw stated that despite the attention they receive, detentions such as those of a pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia University and, more recently, a scholar at Georgetown University, are still uncommon and should be used as a reminder to potential students.

"We have international students at many universities, and news coverage has concentrated on the consequences for international students at only a few colleges," she said. Therefore, we must also consider the fact that the great majority of students attend institutions where we don't hear anything.

Different colleges and institutions have sent out different messages about the shifting political landscape. In response to Trump's orders, some universities—like Northeastern University in Boston—have created webpages to inform both present and potential students.

Following the deportation of a Brown professor to Lebanon while in possession of a U.S. visa, Brown University has recommended that international students and employees, including those with visas and permanent residents, delay their travel.

Later, according to Homeland Security officers, she "openly admitted" to attending the burial of a Hezbollah leader and endorsing him.