Following Trump’s executive order, Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS) and ASUCD’s Office of International Student Representative provide legal and advocacy resources
By Khadeejah Khan — campus@theaggie.org
On Jan. 29, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to endanger student visas of international students who participated in pro-Palestine protests. As international students and pro-Palestine organizers navigate the implications of this executive order, various centers on campus aim to provide resources for international students during this moment.
Rights to free speech and protest under the First Amendment protect everyone in the United States, including international students and scholars. However, arrests or detainment can trigger immigration consequences for this community. In addition to physical forms of speech, digital engagement can also impact international students’ immigration statuses as U.S. Customs and Border Protection have the authority to review electronic devices when individuals enter the country, according to their website.
For some international students, the news of a second Trump presidency was a “point of fear,” as described by ASUCD’s International Student Representative, Muhammad Waqar, a fourth-year political science major and international student from Pakistan. He mentioned how some students expressed concerns and worries about how policies would impact their student visas.
“It really hits hard to international students, because as much as some of us want to take part in this, we also have the biggest fall or downfall when we go out and take these political stances,” Waqar said. “Our F-1 visa comes under scrutiny.”
One resource at UC Davis is Services for International Students and Scholars (SISS). SISS, within Global Affairs. SISS assists incoming and current international students and scholars with visa and immigration issues through preparing visa application documents, maintaining their legal status while in the U.S. and providing general support during their time at UC Davis. SISS provides these services to students and scholars who are on F-1, J-1, H-1B, O-1, B-1, E-3 and TN-type visas, according to their website.
SISS Director Andrew Shiotani noted that the international student community is large and diverse, and there are students with various types of visas. SISS is one of many services provided for this international student community.
In the months before Trump’s inauguration, SISS held a town hall-style meeting for UC Davis international students and scholars on Dec. 6, 2024 and issued a winter travel advisory, recommending students and scholars to return prior to inauguration on Jan. 20. Following the executive order, Shiotani recommended students to reach out to their SISS advisors for guidance and rely on the SISS website for updated communications due to the unpredictable nature of recent developments.
“With regard to what the current administration has said about international students who participated in protests, it is difficult to predict the executive order’s impact on UC Davis international students at this time,” Shiotani said. “SISS will continue to monitor developments and provide guidance as needed.”
In regards to immigration matters, Shiotani adds that policies will impact groups differently, including international students and scholars, undocumented individuals, permanent residents, asylees and refugees, which is why he recommends seeking personalized advice from appropriate sources. SISS also works closely with University of California Immigrant Legal Services Center (UCIMM), which provides services to undocumented and immigrant students.
In addition to immigration and legal services, ASUCD’s Office of the International Student Representative (ISR) provides advocacy, social and mental health resources for the international student community at UC Davis. The ISR Office acts as a liaison between international students and the centers that represent them, including SISS, according to Waqar.
“In my office, we are taking certain actions in which we make sure that international students are heard,” Waqar said. “There are certain movements which you have to stand up for regardless, because they’re too close to your faith and they’re too close to your community, and that is completely understandable. One should do that because that is where your identity stems from.”
Waqar advocates for the international student community through working on legislation and events that represent them in the ASUCD Senate. Some events the Office of the ISR has worked on include the ASUCD Supporting Students event following the inauguration, celebrating Kashmir Day and an informational session about Shi’a Persecution. Waqar said he aims to create spaces of dialogue and visibility at these events.
In a White House fact sheet announcing the Trump administration’s “forceful and unprecedented steps to combat anti-semitism,” Trump pledged to “Deport Hamas Sympathizers and Revoke Student Visas.” The executive order references current immigration laws which allow for the deportation of a noncitizen who “endorses or espouses terrorist activity or persuades others to endorse or espouse terrorist activity or support a terrorist organization.”
Groups like the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) claim the executive order attacks free speech and censors solidarity for Palestine “under the guise of combating antisemitism,” citing an article from The Guardian that found that 97% of demonstrations were peaceful and involved both Jewish and Palestinian student groups.
A pro-Palestine student advocate, who wishes to stay anonymous out of concern for safety, pointed out that during UC Davis’ Palestine encampment, disclaimers were given to international students participating about potential consequences relating to immigration and visa status. They recommended that international students conceal their identity if they choose to continue to protest and advocate.
“There’s still always ways to show support, even if it’s not very outward and direct, which a lot of international students here have found a way to do so,” the advocate said. “I’m very grateful that they still care enough to show up when a lot of other people don’t.”
Through the news cycles about executive orders and policies, Shiotani advised students to rely on communications from SISS as they work with partners at UC Davis and the UC system, in addition to professional and legal organizations.
“It is important for community members to support one another and stay informed,” Shiotani said. “SISS remains committed to providing resources and assistance to international students and scholars as new policies emerge.”
Written by: Khadeejah Khan — campus@theaggie.org
