International students across the United States are rethinking their holiday travel plans amid increased concerns over President Trump’s immigration crackdown, which has threatened the status of thousands since he took office. A Babson College freshman was swiftly deported back to Honduras during Thanksgiving break, sending shockwaves through campuses nationwide and prompting foreign visitors to reconsider trips home for Christmas and New Year.
Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, who came to the U.S. at 7 years old, was set to fly from Boston to Texas to see her family when immigration officials detained her after going through airport security. The deportation happened despite a federal judge having issued an emergency order stating she could not be sent out of the country for at least 72 hours. Her lawyer said he cannot find any record of the deportation order dating back to 2015 that the Trump administration cited, and his client was never informed of the decision.
“I wouldn’t typically classify her as an international student, which makes it even more alarming that here’s essentially a Dreamer going back to Texas and being stopped in a domestic flight within the United States and then sent back to her home country,” said Shaun Carver, president of the International House Association and CEO of the International House at the University of California, Berkeley. The case represents only the latest example of the administration’s actions against foreign students and has become a cautionary tale spreading across campuses.
The president has talked about wanting to limit international enrollment more broadly while implementing broader immigration enforcement efforts across the country. Just this week, the administration began announcing new federal action in New Orleans and the Twin Cities. The Trump administration has added a social media component to the student visa vetting process, pulled thousands of visa registrations before a court ordered them restored, and repeatedly targeted for deportation students involved in the pro-Palestinian movement on campuses.
Foreign visitors are eyeing travel with fear after watching other reports of students detained over the past year with no prior notification or criminal activity. “Anecdotally talking to our residents, there are some that are concerned about these types of stories and this unpredictability of who, when, and how enforcement is going to take place, and certainly they’re adjusting their travel plans,” Carver noted. Even international scholars on a student visa who should not have problems entering or leaving the country now face an unpredictable situation where “everyone must have butterflies in their stomach as they’re going through immigration at the airports and having to show their paperwork.”
Advocates warn that students are fearing they could be flagged for reasons unknown to them. If you’re going to need to renew your visa, travel becomes a high-risk endeavor because of backlogs and challenges in getting interviews at U.S. embassies in different parts of the world. Fanta Aw, executive director and CEO of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, explained that given how long it’s taking to get appointments and secure appointments, the amount of time for processing has expanded significantly.
Since the end of May, authorities have introduced additional vetting including social media vetting, which means all of that means it’s going to take time and you’re taking a risk if you’re trying to travel. Meanwhile, students should ensure they have no outstanding tickets, violence on their record, or any blemish that could be cause for concern if they want to leave the country, including content on social media. “Those are things that they’re going to have to be much more aware of, in a way that perhaps they haven’t had to do before,” Aw said. Visitors should be careful about renewing their visas, creating a very uneasy feeling among those planning trips home.
Universities typically give college students a three-to-four-week break for the holiday season, when many students either head home or travel to see more of the U.S. Schools are now struggling to find the right balance between concern and overcaution amid the administration’s general hostility and lack of transparency. Miriam Feldblum, president and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, says schools have been reaching out to seek advice on how to handle communications with students about safe travel practices.
Some schools allow international students to stay on campus during break and have considered more flexible options for international students scared to leave the country. “All of these reports, these actions, increase the stress, anxiety, and uncertainty for international and immigrant students on campuses,” Feldblum explained. “All the campuses want is to decrease anxiety, share accurate information, and not generate panic because of anti-immigration rhetoric.” Advocates emphasize that at least one student has already been deported over Thanksgiving break while visiting family, and administrators fear more incidents could occur during the extended winter holidays.
Carver notes that while the rules technically permit travel, the reality feels different for those having butterflies about airport encounters. The swift deportation of Lopez Belloza—who was essentially being stopped during what should have been routine domestic flight travel—has created widespread alarm. Multiple students have been detained and deported, with some cases involving individuals involved in campus activism or those with immigration paperwork complications they were never informed about through proper channels.
The fact remains that administration’s actions have created an environment where even college students with valid documentation feel vulnerable. Reports indicate the government has launched enforcement sweeps across the country, making international students worry about holiday travel more than ever before. The combination of social media monitoring, visa processing delays at embassies, and unpredictable enforcement has transformed what should be joyful homecomings into potentially life-altering risks for students who simply want to celebrate with family.