Venezuelan family waits, prays and fights its fear
ABILENE, TEXAS — Maruj Rangel began to cry. Her 10-year-old…
Summer immigration policies affect students’ arrival
Delayed visa interviews prevent international students from attending U.S. universities in the fall.
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OKLAHOMA CITY — Eight Rwandan students who planned to attend Oklahoma Christian University this fall will not return to campus in Oklahoma City because the federal government paused visa appointments for three weeks during summer.
Other students and other universities face similar challenges, slowing their educational progress and affecting enrollments nationwide, including at universities associated with Churches of Christ.
Students at Harding University celebrate Latin Fest.
When the Rwandan students applied for their visa interviews, they were given appointments in early November, according to John Osborne, Oklahoma Christian’s director of international programs.
“We’ve appealed those dates for an expedited process to see if we can get them here sooner,” Osborne said. “That was just the first available date they were given.”
New policies pause interviews
Multiple orders and proclamations by Trump administration agencies during summer months restricted international students’ ability to enter the country on F, M and J student visas.
On May 27, a leaked Department of State cable instructed U.S. embassies and consulates to pause student visa appointments. The action created processing delays and increased vetting requirements.
Then on June 18, a media announcement resumed visa appointments and shared the new vetting requirements, largely that applicants must set their social media privacy settings to “public” until their application is approved. But by then appointment delays had made fall enrollment impossible for many students.
The Christian Chronicle contacted 13 universities and colleges associated with the Churches of Christ about how their international students are being affected. Of the 10 universities that responded, nine — Abilene Christian University, Freed-Hardeman University, Florida College, Faulkner University, Harding University, Lubbock Christian University, Rochester Christian University, Oklahoma Christian and York University — have incoming and freshman students who faced delays with their visa interviews.
“He went home for the summer, his visa expired, and he was trying to renew it. They won’t renew his visa even though he’s already been here.”
“I had a student in May who ended up having (her interview) rescheduled for Aug. 26 or 27, so that’s too late for classes to start in the fall,” said Katherine Folmar, Rochester Christian’s principal designated school official (PDSO) for the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
Some current students also face visa renewal challenges. In Henderson, Tenn., Freed-Hardeman’s associate director of international education, Grant Goodman, was unsure if a South African student will be able to return for the semester.
“He went home for the summer, his visa expired, and he was trying to renew it,” Goodman said. “They won’t renew his visa even though he’s already been here. His appointment is scheduled a month and a half away from now.”
Visa restrictions increase
In April, more than 1,000 international students had their visas revoked or Student Exchange Visitor Information System records terminated. On April 25, Inside Higher Ed reported an updated number of more than 1,840 students, two of whom were Oklahoma Christian students.
Provost Brian Starr told the Chronicle that two international students’ visas were revoked and restored in April, but he did not share any other details.
Further complicating matters, President Donald Trump restricted all visitors from 19 countries from entering the U.S. That June 4 proclamation banned business and student visas from seven nations and banned all visas from 12 others. The ban only prevents new visas from being issued and does not apply to those with valid visas before June 4.
A group of international students at Abilene Christian University pose together.
This proclamation does not affect universities as much as the interview delays, but Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, has still felt the effect. Lucy Dawson, ACU’s PDSO, said one incoming graduate student from Myanmar — one of the 12 countries completely banned — is unable to enter the U.S.
Freed-Hardeman also has been affected by the ban. Goodman said two incoming students are from Venezuela, one of the partially restricted countries. The students will arrive in August under temporary protected status, not visas. But the Trump administration’s revocation of that status takes effect in September, leaving their ability to complete the semester in limbo.
“When they don’t have that anymore, will they have to leave the country to then get a visa at an embassy?” Goodman asked.
Related: Venezuelan family waits, prays and fights its fear
FHU also has a student from Iran — another country on the list — but his visa is still valid. Goodman said that student, like other international students in Tennessee, is afraid that a prior speeding ticket raises his likelihood of facing deportation.
On June 14, Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave 36 countries a deadline to address U.S. security concerns or face a ban like the prior 19 countries. The Associated Press, Reuters and other news organizations reported a cable from Rubio had given those countries a 60-day deadline, ending Aug. 13.
On Aug 19, in a story first reported by Fox News, the State Department announced it had revoked 6,000 student visas for offenses ranging from overstays and assault to support for terrorism. But no further announcements have been made regarding the status of the 36 countries in Rubio’s June 14 edict.
“In the world of immigration, anything can happen right now,” said Mallory Smith, York University’s PDSO.
‘We’re doing everything we can’
Universities responded to the Trump administration’s actions by increasing communication between international program staff and students.
“Obviously there are concerns when you have any type of administration that comes in and starts focusing on those things,” said Josh Jones, Florida College director of admissions. “We’ve been able to adjust the way we interact with our students (and) how much we’re communicating with them.”
But PDSOs are not receiving much information to share with their students, nor is there an avenue for them to ask questions. Smith said they were not given prior notice that changes were being made with vetting and the delays.
“Our governing body over international students, SEVIS … they’re like ‘We don’t know anything. We know absolutely nothing.’ That’s been kind of terrifying.”
“I called the South African embassy … and they just said ‘We can’t do anything at all,’” Goodman said. “At the same time, our governing body over international students, SEVIS … I’ve called them multiple times this summer. They’re like ‘We don’t know anything. We know absolutely nothing.’ That’s been kind of terrifying.”
SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a web-based system used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Mark Hunt, Faulkner’s vice president of executive and professional enrollment, said he has seen fear among international students, but some of it is misplaced.
International students at Faulkner University receive Bibles.
“That does not downplay at all the legitimate concerns they have, but sometimes … the telephone game inflates the problem more than it needs to be,” Hunt said.
Students are attentive to their immigration status, Dawson said, but she and other officials reassure students that they’re doing everything correctly.
“There’s a lot of messaging out there that can prey on them and make them way more fearful than they need to be.”
“We’ve tried to keep them abreast of things that have happened, although we don’t pass around rumors or things that aren’t officially put into play,” Dawson said. “(We) try not to incite fear. … There’s a lot of messaging out there that can prey on them and make them way more fearful than they need to be.”
Smith said York students who are delayed are able to move to campus in January for the spring semester. Until then, some universities offer limited online classes students can take until their visas are approved.
A map with the words of the Great Commission greets visitors to the McInteer Bible and World Missions Center at Harding University.
For the eight Oklahoma Christian students who are delayed, the university offers an online undergraduate degree in Rwanda so the students can begin taking classes.
“It’s frustrating, and it creates uncertainty,” Osborne said. “We’re trying to be in compliance with what the system requires, of course, but we’re also trying to work every avenue we can. … We’re very mindful of our students getting here in the fall, and we’re doing everything we can to help facilitate that for them.”
KENZIE JAMES, a senior multimedia journalism major at Harding University in Searcy, Ark., is a Christian Chronicle intern working in the main office in Oklahoma City. James grew up in Tallahassee, Fla., where she attended the Timberlane Church of Christ.
