International Students Under the Pandemic

 

International Students Under the Pandemic

By Haochen Long

This July, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)  released an announcement that international students, who plan to solely enroll in online classes this fall, will be barred from entering the country. Even though the temporary rule had been rescinded, irreversible trauma and harm have occurred. Now, I am sure that if you are aware enough of the international student community to be reading this testimonial, you probably know all about the back-and-forths of this story. I, however, would still like to share with you the stories around me that went unheard.  

At the moment ICE’s decision came out, the biggest issue confronting the international student community was a tough choice. If we chose to leave the United States, there was a chance our academic pursuit or future career would be at risk. That assumption is already under the ideal scenario that we could safely, as international flights had been unprecedentedly scarce and unstable. As a matter of fact, months after the ICE announcement, some of us are still stuck because of border controls and flight limitations. On the other hand, if we chose to remain in the country, we’d risk losing connections to our home, families, and friends. We also are exposed to higher health risks with no permanent housing, limited healthcare access, and constant xenophobia and racism. With this choice also came the possibility of becoming an “illegal stay,” as ICE could alter its decision at any second. 

That week in mid-July was probably one of the most challenging times I have ever experienced in my life. My friends that had already left the country, feared for their future education, and grieved over the fact that they left without saying a proper goodbye to everyone. Now, they might not ever have a chance to. People that stayed then were in a dilemma between going back to their family in the time of a literal pandemic and jeopardizing their expensive education. My U.S. friends also became worried if I would be “deported” or just “disappear” someday.

Luckily for me, I am among a small group of international students that were privileged enough to survive the financial hit. I was also fortunate enough for not having to worry about my families’ health back at home. However, every time I saw students in IV partying carefree without masks, I recall the hardships and trauma that my community endured. I personally witnessed an acquaintance of mine that had to cancel their housing lease and give up thousands of dollars for moving and international flight tickets, putting excessive financial burdens on their family. One of my friends from China was forced into gapping a quarter with no definite plans of returning to the U.S.

Later in August, then, when the big parties started to go crazy in Isla Vista as people returned for school, I was practically speechless. I could not have any other reactions. My frustration lies in the fact that when my friends and community literally had their future or life changed and taken away for “safety and health concerns,” those that literally go to the same school and sit in the same classroom next to them seem to care only if their underage drinking fun had been taken away for too long. 

ICE could surely release an act to simply expel “aliens” from this country for health concerns. Yet, we, 1,095,299 (Institute of International Education, 2019) of these “aliens” and “foreigners” just swallowed all the bitter consequences with some of our lives forever changed.

Bibliography

Institute of International Education. “Number of International Students in the United States Hits All-Time High.” The Power of International Education, 18 Nov. 2019, www.iie.org/Why-IIE/Announcements/2019/11/Number-of-International-Students-in-the-United-States-Hits-All-Time-High.