With ICE raids and new laws, where do international students stand?

Steven Callejas starts his day like any other student. He wakes up early to prepare himself for a day of schoolwork. He packs his laptop and class materials in his bag and walks out early for his 7:45 AM class. The only difference is that he also takes his birth certificate, ID and passport with him. Like many other international students on campus, Callejas is fearful of interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, better known as ICE. 

 

The Trump Administration tightened laws surrounding immigration in the United States beginning January 20. President Donald Trump declared a national emergency along the border with Mexico and began increasing ICE presence throughout the country. According to Callejas, this has resulted in fear among both legal and illegal immigrants nationwide as they wonder what will happen next.

The Office of Intercultural Student Life is on the second floor of the Student Center and is where many intercultural students gather. (photo by Jillian Flack).

Kent State University says they are aware of the changes in the current political climate. University President Todd Diacon released a statement on April 4 outlining the measures the university has implemented in order to support students who could be impacted. 

 

“We are deeply committed to working with our current student[s] to devise degree completion options, and with our recent graduates to assist with their situations. Our dedicated professors and academic leaders are devoted to this work, and we thank them for making the best of unprecedented circumstances,” Diacon wrote in his statement.

 

According to Donald Rayamajhi, an international graduate student from Nepal, it is the only information that the university has given to the international students thus far on the matter.

 

“All they sent out. . .was an email that said ‘keep your papers with you’. . .but no one interested it after that,” he said.

 

The statement also encouraged international students to carry their documents with them and to have spare copies at all times. The statement came after multiple students at Kent State had their visas revoked in April, which were later reinstated. 

 

“It’s weird because, you know, half the things we used to be able to do, now you can’t go. You can’t go do in peace anymore, without the chance of immigration wanting to deport you,” Callejas said.

 

The Trump Administration set a goal of 3,000 immigrant arrests a day and has allowed ICE to seek out those with or without criminal records. $45 billion was set aside to grow ICE’s forces to support the effort.

Created by Jillian Flack

Callejas said it feels like ICE is everywhere in public and he is worried about getting questioned. 

 

He mentioned being fearful of everyday tasks, such as going to the store or even being outside generally, as he was not sure whether or not he would be mistaken for an illegal immigrant. The university encourages students to reach out to them for assistance if they are approached by any sort of law official.

 

The statement released by Diacon says that Kent State’s Office of General Counsel will help students who are questioned by law enforcement. Students are told to tell law enforcement that they have been told to reach out to Kent State Police Services as well.

 

“Maybe they could’ve set up meetings or. . .told us to come to counselors if we have any doubts,” Rayamajhi said about the university’s response.

 

International student arrivals in the U.S. decreased by 19% in August. In addition to Kent State, visas were revoked from students at other Ohio schools, including the Ohio State University, the University of Akron, and the University of Cincinnati. 

 

“It’s still different when a lot of us do have families outside of here. . .Even when they say they’re putting things in effect here to, like, protect us, doesn’t really help much with fears outside campus,” Callejas said.

 

Rayamajhi is unsure what will happen to him. He said he is scared to go home because he is worried that he will not be able to get back into the U.S.

 

“It’s scary. . .Some of my friends got deported from [a] Texas [university]. . .The university didn’t do anything,” he said. 

 

There are over 25,000 international undergraduate and graduate students on Kent State’s main campus currently, with 33,000 total across its eight campuses. In 2023, students from over 100 countries attended Kent State.

Created by Jillian Flack

“There’s a lot of things we don’t have access to that an American does, even when it comes to college. [We have] a lot of tuition and like payments and all that. We can’t get as much funding from governments or other sources because we’re immigrants,” Callejas said.

 

The university declined to comment other than offering Diacon’s April statement.