In a notable reversal, President Trump has decided to revoke his earlier decision to cancel visas for international students who protested or had minor legal violations on their records, bringing a wave of relief to students and educational institutions alike. News3LV reported that the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) has confirmed that seven of its international students have now had their visas reinstated after the troubling decision that had cast doubt on their educational prospects in the United States.
This change of heart comes in the wake of fervent opposition and support for the affected students from their respective communities, at a time when the immigration policies were increasingly scrutinized for their rigor and lack of flexibility. Domestically, the debate around immigration reform has been a labyrinthine politic, with each twist and turn affecting lives, blurring the dreams for those caught in the system’s snares.
In a related update, Channel 13 learned that the UNLV students were part of a broader sweep, originally impacting over 1,000 international student visas nationwide. The Trump administration, retreating from the legal battlefield over immigration enforcement that led to the visa cancellations, has prompted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to go back to the drawing board on their policy for reviewing immigration records.
David Ware, an immigration lawyer who was brought in by UNLV as outside counsel, highlighted the immediate positive outcome of the decision for the international students. "Well, it means that for the moment, they'll be safe, OK?" Ware told Channel 13. But he also voiced concerns about the uncertainty that still looms over the long-term status of those affected, emphasizing to students that international travel could jeopardize their ability to return, potentially leaving them abroad for a year, or more before they can secure a new visa.
The reinstatement of visas may indeed come as a comfort to many students like Selina, a DACA recipient at UNLV. "It's very unfortunate that we're trying to get our education and, things like this try to stop us," Selina shared with Channel 13. This recent development points to a larger context of hurdles that international students often face in the quest for higher education in the U.S., one that remains fraught with policy changes and a complex immigration system.
