If you’ve ever lived abroad for an extended period of time — perhaps on a mission or during a semester abroad — you’ve likely experienced the kindness of strangers. It’s one of the things that can make a foreign, and sometimes lonely place feel like home.
This is exactly what we do at the International Friends Program, which helps international students at Utah State University adjust to life in the United States. Since 2016, 120 Utah families have volunteered to host students for dinner, take them on hikes in Logan Canyon or teach them about the American varieties of tomatoes and corn they grow in a member’s garden.
So I’m particularly disheartened about the declining numbers of foreign students at American universities. At USU, for instance, there are about 500 students signed up for the next academic year. That’s compared to about 860 in 2016.
Even more depressing is the reason why: Several students have told me they don’t feel welcome here. I understand their concern.
Last month, the Trump Administration tried to revoke the visas of international students if all their classes went online, but retracted after 17 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit in federal court to protest this “senseless and cruel” policy.
It’s no wonder some of these students are now considering schools in Europe, Canada and Australia, where it’s easier to secure a visa — countries whose governments don’t continually change their immigration policies or try to force them out.
And the White House’s senselessness and cruelty continues. In late July, federal immigration officials announced that new foreign students would not be allowed to come here if their classes were held online because of COVID-19 restrictions. USU officials have confirmed that about 100 new international students who were admitted for the fall have not received their visas.
On behalf of International Friends, I’m calling on President Trump to reverse this policy immediately and promptly issue these visas. Classes are set to begin August 31. Many of these students have purchased airline tickets, begun packing their belongings and saying their goodbyes. They are eager to fulfill their dream of an American education, even if their classes are held remotely. If they can’t log into their classes in the same time zone and have reliable Internet access, that dream becomes impossible.
These policies also harm our communities who benefit from their presence. We have learned about their cultures and religions at Indian Diwali festivals and Chinese New Year celebrations and in our homes. Our local high school civics students and members of the Lions and Rotary clubs have listened to their stories.
These connections enrich all our lives, helping us see beyond borders and recognize our commonalities as humans. Not surprisingly, these relationships can last for a lifetime.
I get choked up when I think about a Syrian student who came to Utah in 2013, lived with us and has become a daughter. After moving to Boston for graduate school, she started WorkAroundOnline, a company that outsources virtual work to refugees and displaced people around the world.
We’ve also adopted a Vietnamese computer science Ph.D. student and his wife, who bring their son to visit us nearly every other week. We have many other students we’ve stayed in touch with over the years.
These students are also important contributors to our economy. During the 2018-2019 academic year, more than 1 million international students contributed $41 billion and supported more than 458,000 American jobs, according to the Institute of International Education. Foreign students earn a third of all graduate-level degrees in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields, according to New American Economy. We need them, in some ways, far more than they need us.
We all lose out when foreign students choose not to study at our schools and sit at our dinner tables. It’s time for our government’s immigration policies to reflect our American values of kindness and decency. Utahns are ready to welcome them with open arms.
Nathan Hult
Nathan Hult is co-founder and chair of the board of International Friends Program at Utah State University in Logan.