Following the revocation of more than 300 visas announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Temple’s Global Engagement division is focusing on promoting and combining its existing resources to provide support for the emotional toll these challenges bring.
Temple’s International Student and Scholar Services and International Student Affairs’ efforts come at an especially tumultuous time — on April 2 a Temple student chose to self-deport after their visa was unexpectedly revoked, The Temple News reported.
For many students, ISSS is primarily a resource to help students with applications for visas and work authorization, like the Optional Practical Training program, which allows F-1 visa holders to work in the U.S. for a limited time in a career related to their academic study. Beyond paperwork, ISA connects students with cultural programs, legal guidance and therapists who speak their native languages.
“Not a lot [of policy] from the Trump administration has come out that is black and white,” said Leah Hetzell, director of international student affairs. “When we’re uncertain, we tend to spiral or create scenarios. In turn, I’ve seen that uncertainty and fear in some of our students. They’re wondering, ‘Is my experience in the U.S. going to be what I thought it would be?’”
Student concerns about job security through the OPT program have increased as threats made to its continuation and restrictions on entry visas create additional barriers to program access.
The mental health challenges international students face have been rising for some time and recent policy uncertainties have exacerbated these concerns, Hetzell said.
“I think that an additional layer of support is necessary because international students already face additional challenges while they are studying in the U.S.,” Hetzell said. “If those challenges are growing, then we are going to have to grow and give as much time as we can to support them.”
ISA infrastructure includes a biweekly newsletter for students, regular social media communications and direct partnerships with campus resources like Tuttleman Counseling Services. The office also promotes Tuttleman’s “Let’s Talk” program, in which counselors offer daily drop-in office hours to facilitate informal conversations with students.
Temple’s Care team also promotes community reporting and tracks student activity preventatively, including their swipe-ins to classes and residence halls and works with ISA to assess student behavior indicative of mental instability if concerns are reported.
Cultural programming is another key component of ISA’s outreach. The office hosts coffee hours to foster student connections, group yoga sessions through Tuttleman and cultural teach-ins.
Though domestic students may not see Global Engagement’s impact, international students are receiving increased communication and support, Hetzell said. ISSS also invited an immigration lawyer to answer students’ questions about travel restrictions and visa policies on April 4. Students like Jessy Xu have found reassurance in these efforts.
Xu was nervous to return home to China during winter break after hearing rumors that returning to the U.S. would be made more difficult, especially for those holding a Chinese passport.
Xu felt supported by ISSS’ increased email communications that advised students traveling during break to carry their original copies of their I-20 forms. They also warned that electronically signed E-files, which became common during the pandemic, would not be sufficient proof of visa status at customs.
“As I was leaving the state, I realized that customs were taking longer than usual to process my information,” said Xu, a sophomore media studies and production and marketing double major. “They were checking my visa status thoroughly.”
Mario Coppola also dealt with concern about how immigration restrictions could impact his ability to find a job after graduation should OPT face review.
“As an Italian student, I feel luckier than someone with Chinese or Russian citizenship, for example,” said Coppola, a senior marketing major. “It’s all about where you happen to come from, that’s a sad truth.”
ISSS helped Coppola navigate his OPT approval process and made his international student experience at Temple more manageable.
As immigration policies continue to shift, ISSS and ISA hope to remain a support system for international students on campus, aiming to provide the resources needed to succeed academically and personally in the U.S.
“We want students to come to us, and to make sure they’re aware of how to access these services that exist,” Hetzell said. “We have the resources, we have the staff, we have the programs. Cultural connection and exchange will keep us going. That’s what we’re here to do, understand each other, listen and learn from each other.”
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