Analysis of the U.S. Student Visa System

Abstract

Given the political, economic, and social events surrounding 9/11, the major issue addressed concerns the impact of federal legislation on international students/scholars. The study explored several research questions that can be summarized as, What are the relevant laws affecting international student study in the United States, and What are the consequences of having those laws? To date, there has not been a comprehensive compilation identifying such regulations nor an analysis and charting of the broader public policy at various levels of implementation. This article attempts to do this. Sifting through the miasma of regulations, certain themes emerge from the analysis: philosophical changes, entry and exit registration, intended and unintended consequences, impact on Arab and Muslim students, effects on U.S. citizens, and emergent problems.

Three Levels of Push-Pull Dynamics Among Chinese International Students’ Decision to Study Abroad in the Canadian Context

“…The majority of international student mobility research focuses on national level economic or education determinants rather than the individual level (Becker & Kolster, 2012;Shanka, Quintal & MEdMan, 2006;Wei, 2013) and some studies look at institutional choice as a by-product of national choice (Chen, 2007;Lee, 2008). The decision to study in the U.S. over other countries includes reasons, such as improving English language abilities (Eder, Smith, & Pitts, 2010), economic factors (Wei, 2013), feelings of safety (Lee, 2008;Shanka et al, 2006;Urias & Yeakey, 2009), and the desire to experience the American culture (Eder, et al, 2010). For graduate students specifically a U.S. doctoral degree implies an increase in opportunities as well as research training (Zhou, 2015).…”

Rethinking the Politics of the International Student Experience in the Age of Trump

“…Much of the existing literature on international students has emphasized psychological and sociological themes, such as culture shock, homesickness, cultural adjustment, sense of belonging, and ethnic segregation. By comparison, relatively few studies have examined the international student experience from an explicitly political perspective (yet, see Ewers and Lewis, 2008;Madge, Raghuram, and Noxolo, 2009;Urias and Yeakey, 2009;Dunn, Pelleri, and Maeder-Han, 2011;Robertson, 2011;Paltridge, Mayson, and Schapper, 2014;Walker, 2014;Li, 2016).…”

COVID-19 Strikes U.S. Higher Education

“…These incidents then increase the stress levels of international students and, sometimes, force them to incur legal fees in an effort to maintain their status in the U.S. (Johnson, 2003). Constantly being under this kind of scrutiny creates a socially and politically inhospitable environment for international students, making their journeys to, and stay in the U.S. unpleasant, causing them to feel less inclined to study in their adopted land (Lee & Rice, 2007;Urias & Yeakey, 2009). In response to this new reality for international students, the rest of the world began painting the U.S. as a world hegemon with a vengeful spirit (Farber, 2007;Nye, 2004).…”