In the Thursday, May 22 issue of Carleton Today, Vice President and Dean of Students Carolyn Livingston published a note sharing that international students facing internal conflict in their home country or the threat of future travel bans have been provided the option to remain living on campus over the summer for free. A travel ban could prevent these students from re-entering the country after summer break, even if they hold valid student visas.
Immigration task force co-Chair, Vice President and Chief of Staff Elise Eslinger explained that free summer housing will be available to 10-15 current Carleton students, primarily from countries that recent U.S. Department of State travel advisories categorize as red or orange, along with certain places experiencing wartime restrictions, including Ukraine, Russia, Israel, India and Palestine.
According to the Jan. 22 issue of Carleton Today, Carleton’s immigration task force was created to “monitor the situation, gather information, provide resources, and coordinate response or support across offices.”
Eslinger said that “when we learn of issues where members of our community need extra support, we raise awareness of the situation with the President’s Cabinet.”
The President’s Cabinet — composed of College President Alison Byerly, seven vice presidents and the faculty president — is responsible for evaluating what role Carleton can play in providing support, such as legal counsel and engagement with national immigrant advocacy groups.
In recent months, Carleton has hosted several Know Your Rights events and signed onto an amicus brief challenging student detentions and visa revocations. These events come as the Carleton Student Association and the Center for Community and Civic Engagement have hosted advocacy events such as Write4Rights, an event focused on reaching out to elected officials and leaders about student concerns over issues such as immigration and the status of international students in higher education.
In the days after the publication of this Carleton-led initiative, the Trump administration has taken several steps to limit international students’ residence in America. On the same day, May 22, the Trump administration attempted to revoke Harvard University’s ability to enroll international students. The move was blocked by a federal judge on May 23 in response to a lawsuit from Harvard, which cited the government’s actions as a violation of the First Amendment. Harvard views the administration’s actions as a retaliatory response to Harvard’s unwillingness to comply with governmental demands, including the auditing of departments, students and faculty. The revocation is currently on hold, pending the lawsuit. Harvard’s federal funding is also set to be cut, with over $3.2 billion dollars already frozen.
On May 27, the Trump administration ordered embassies to stop scheduling visa appointments for student and exchange visitors in anticipation of increased vetting measures. These restrictions only pertain to individuals applying for a new or renewed student visa, not those who have already obtained visas.
This policy has the potential to impact incoming students in the Class of 2029. Eslinger said that the Office of International Student Life is working with students to obtain their visas; over half of the international students in the class had already obtained their visas prior to the May 27 temporary hold. So far, only one student has had their visa denied, and they are in the process of reapplying.
Eslinger said, “We are actively monitoring the situation, and will continue to offer logistical support and verification of student status as students navigate the requirements in their home countries.”