Within recent months of his second term, President Donald Trump and his administration have revoked over 500 student and faculty visas, one of which belonging to an App State student.
While none of Trump’s heinous decisions seem too surprising at this point, they are still despicable.
The revocation of visas in and of itself is morally and politically wrong — to strip someone of their education crosses yet another line. But, as Trump has proven time and time again, education is the least of his priorities.
International students play an incredibly important role in the United States higher education program, accounting for 1.1 million college and university students across the country, according to Associated Press. They contribute to the job market and the overall economy, promote diversity and inclusion, aid in research advancements and provide countless other benefits to the U.S. education system.
Though the U.S. has its fair share of problems, it has been ranked No. 1 in education for multiple years in a row by U.S. News and World Report, making it a prime location for international students to learn in a way they may not be able to otherwise.
Not only do international students benefit from the education opportunities in the U.S., international student programs also provide national students opportunities to experience diversity and expand their horizons. At a predominantly white institution such as App State, the diversity, intellect and ideas that international students bring are a key ingredient in a rich campus life.
Trump has already shown his disregard for diversity, by abolishing diversity, equity and inclusion programs nationwide and even threatening to stop funding public universities if they refuse to pull DEI initiatives.
Trump doubled down specifically on international students involved in pro-Palestine protests and movements on college and university campuses, defending it with the extreme claim that these individuals were all “pro-Hamas.” He has even gone so far as to revoke green cards from student protestors — a gross misuse of his power.
Throughout the first few months of his presidency, Trump and his administration have made one thing clear — their priorities are ridiculously off base.
A prime example of this is Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, stating she would not take reporters seriously who include pronouns in their email signatures. Pair this with Trump’s executive order essentially saying gender identity is invalid, and you’ve got the first of millions in a cacophony of close-minded, ignorant takes.
Regardless of the Trump administration’s ulterior motives and utter disregard for those who aren’t straight, white men, there is still hope for the country. There were thousands of “Hands Off!” protests across the nation, including one in Boone with over 1400 participants protesting Trump, Elon Musk and their attempts at dictatorship.
It is an extremely uncertain time in the nation, especially for those who are at risk of being kicked out of their homes out of pure racism and spite. It can be difficult to see the bright side during times like this, but one thing remains abundantly clear: nobody is going down without a fight.
Whether it is Bernie Sanders making a surprise appearance at Coachella, Cory Booker’s record-breaking Senate speech or multiple Democratic political leaders speaking out against Trump’s regime, it is clear nobody has given up, and more importantly, nobody will.
