During President-elect Donald Trump’s last administration, NYU bolstered its programming and resources for international students in an effort to combat a federal crackdown on immigration. With a second Trump term to start in January, the university is preparing to tackle the issue once again.
In 2017, NYU’s School of Law founded the university’s Immigration Defense Initiative to help members of the NYU community complete documents and offer legal representation. Gabriela Calahorrano, IDI’s staff attorney, told WSN that Trump’s initial term “seriously impacted the NYU community,” citing immigration enforcement such as the Muslim travel ban and changes to asylum law.
“During the first Trump administration, the immigrant community faced many barriers and challenges due to a series of aggressive changes in immigration policies,” Calahorrano said in a statement to WSN. “We expect that the Trump administration will make similarly drastic changes in the law and policies that will affect the immigrant community.”
The IDI is currently conducting an assessment to ensure they have sufficient resources ahead of Trump’s incoming administration. In his most recent campaign, the president-elect emphasized his goal to restrict and eliminate immigration pathways, and to carry out mass detentions and deportations for those who are already in the country. Trump, as well as other Republican politicians, have also specifically threatened to deport students who participate in on-campus protests.
In a Nov. 12 universitywide email addressing the election, Dean of Students Rafael Rodriguez and Senior Vice President of Student Life Jason Pina said border mobility “is of critical importance” and that the university would monitor immigration-related policy changes. They also said the Office of Global Services will offer more resources for international students, including discussions and one-on-one sessions to address concerns regarding their ability to work and live in the United States.
Last year, the OGS and the Center for Student Life launched a support platform for NYU’s international student population. OGS spokesperson Tom Sirinides told WSN that as an access point for immigration and career services, the International Student Hub will become increasingly important as the next administration takes office.
“This past academic year saw significant expansion and innovation in programming through the International Student Hub,” Sirinides said in a statement to WSN. “We introduced new initiatives to foster engagement and belonging among our international students.”
The OGS has increased on-demand resources for international students with recorded sessions on visa applications, lawyer workshops and training sessions to help students apply for jobs and benefits.
NYU has had one of the largest international student populations across U.S. universities for several years, comprising 44% of the university’s enrollment last academic year. During Trump’s first term, U.S. colleges saw 15% fewer international students — a number that had trended upward almost every year prior and increased by 7% last year.
NYU has said it practices “institutional restraint” and will only speak on social or political issues when it “must.” While previous administrators have more directly spoken on political matters, immigration was the only topic directly addressed in this year’s post-presidential election email.
Contact Vasily Belousov at [email protected].