American universities have long been celebrated for their intellectual freedom and large research and development budgets. Now, that legacy is at risk
Many international students arrive in the United States, weighing the benefits and downsides of pursuing higher education at an American university.
One aspect, shared by a wide range of students, is the academic freedom that American universities offer. Whether that is the main reason that has pushed many students to come to the United States, or other aspects of academia, the promise of academic freedom is now more fragile than ever.
Non-citizen students are being targeted because of their immigration status, with the current administration subjecting them to visa revocation, surveillance and deportation threats.
According to Higher Ed, over 1,800 students and recent graduates have had their visas revoked or legal status changed since early 2025, often without a clear reason.
Protesting on or off campus, particularly those involving U.S. foreign policy, has become unsafe territory for non-citizens. Scrutiny against visa holders is increasing. It is a game in which non-citizens are hunted down.
The State Department has implemented artificial intelligence to surveil social media activity of student visa holders, in the search of what’s considered “unacceptable” political expression.
Now, a student visa not only grants permission to study but also the right to remain silent and repress any opinion regarding the social and political climate. The freedom that once attracted many students worldwide might no longer exist. Instead, fear has taken over in what feels like an intent to remove those who dare to speak.
Student activism is a pivotal part of the college experience. Being away from home exposes one to new perspectives and fuels the urgency to advocate for change. But in the so-called land of the free, the opportunity to express and speak out for what one believes is being suppressed. Students now avoid demonstrations or political events altogether. Acts like questioning, protesting and speaking without fear that once defined the heart of learning have now become grounds for detention, deportation or permanent removal from the country.
This chilling effect unfolding across campuses is no accident. It aligns with a broader political strategy: to conflate dissent with disloyalty and criticize government policy with criminality. Immigration law grants wide latitude to label individuals as threats to “public safety” or “national security,” a discretion now weaponized against students who were promised the right to think freely.
Students from a wide range of legal statuses are being targeted, leaving non-citizens with little to no protection. Green Card holders, who traditionally enjoyed stability, have also found themselves caught in the same dragnet.
The case of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University student detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for participating in pro-Palestinian protests, demonstrates how even permanent residents are no longer immune.
The suppression of freedom of speech for students suggests a pattern that emerges when the government starts deciding which voice gets to exist. In essence, fascism tends to build enemies from within and silence spaces of dissent, like universities, signaling an early move toward authoritarian control. When lawful protests are framed as betrayal and immigration status becomes a tool for silence, it is not only policy slipping but also a deliberate erosion marking the first steps toward a fascist state.
International students occupy a fragile but vital space within American campuses. Their presence fuels innovation, research and cultural growth beyond the classroom. Yet their future, like the health of the democracy they believed in, grows more uncertain by the day. When those who come to learn are punished for questioning, it is not just students who stand to lose.
