US College Refuses to Oppose Trump Travel Ban After Iranian Students’ Plea

(U.S.) U.S. colleges are facing sharp pressure after the renewed Trump travel ban restricted entry for nationals from Iran and 18 other countries, cutting off many Iranian students from their campuses. Despite urgent pleas from affected students and faculty, most U.S. colleges have not publicly opposed the policy or joined lawsuits this summer, leaving students in limbo as the fall term begins.

Timeline and legal framework

On June 4, 2025, President Trump signed a proclamation barring entry for nationals from 19 countries, including Iran. The ban took effect on June 9, 2025, and is broader than earlier versions. Officials said more countries could be added within 60 days if they fail to meet U.S. vetting and deportation cooperation standards.

The State Department posts visa proclamation updates at its official site:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/presidential-proclamations.html.

The Department of Justice has said some visas might be restored once new ICE frameworks are finalized, but many Iranian students still have no path back to their labs, classrooms, or jobs.

Who is affected and how

• The new rules cover student visas, blocking both newly admitted Iranian students and those who traveled abroad from returning to their studies.
• At the University of Louisville, 39 Iranian students—about 4% of the international student body—are directly affected, according to campus figures shared with advocates.
• In early April, a wave of visa actions revoked over 1,800 international student visas nationwide, including at least 19 tied to UCLA.

Research teams describe stalled projects, empty lab benches, and delays on grant milestones. Fields most affected include computer science, engineering, and biomedical programs, where Iranian students are often deeply involved.

Practical barriers to returning

The practical barriers start long before a visa decision:

• No U.S. embassy in Iran, so applicants must travel to third countries for interviews—adding expense and delay.
• As of June 2025, consular posts are automatically refusing Iranian student applications under the proclamation.
• Some universities allow short-term remote participation, but that rarely fits research requiring labs, field sites, protected data, or in-person collaboration.

The disruption has caused rescinded admissions for Fall 2024 and 2025 cohorts in some programs, and many offers cannot be honored because consular officers now deny visas under the proclamation.

Typical student journey under the ban

1. Apply and pay application and SEVIS fees, then secure admission.
2. Travel abroad for a visa interview because there is no U.S. embassy in Iran.
3. Receive a refusal tied to the proclamation after June 2025.
4. Request remote study where possible, then face program limits that require physical presence.
5. Seek help from campus international offices, AAUP, or the American Immigration Council, with limited success under current policy.

Human and financial costs

The human cost is steep:

• Students report losing stipends and housing, and some risk missing grant timelines that fund their programs.
• Early-career researchers describe years of preparation—publications, language tests, savings—now on hold.
• Families are split across borders; those already in the U.S. 🇺🇸 may skip vital trips home to avoid being barred from reentry.

The financial stakes extend beyond individuals:

• According to the American Immigration Council, households headed by nationals from the affected countries reported $1.4 billion in income and paid $359.9 million in taxes in 2022.
• Colleges that rely on international tuition and research productivity warn the ban could erode budgets and slow innovation across labs and start-ups linked to campus ecosystems.

Tech leaders such as Hadi Partovi and Siamak Aram have warned that the policy deprives the U.S. of top global talent and, in practice, helps the Iranian regime keep students from international engagement.

Campus leadership and responses

• University leaders say they are concerned but have mostly remained quiet.
• In 2017, more than 600 college presidents signed a joint letter opposing the first travel ban. In 2025, administrators cite legal risk, dependence on federal grants, and fear of retaliation as reasons for withholding formal opposition.
• Faculty groups, including the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), have condemned the policy as harmful to academic freedom and research, but those statements have not become official university policy.
• Many Iranian student associations have avoided public comment, worried that speaking out could lead to visa revocation, detention, or deportation. This caution mirrors patterns reported by VisaVerge.com in recent campus coverage.

Policy developments and what may come next

• Congress is debating further changes. In August 2025, Senator Tommy Tuberville introduced the Student Visa Integrity Act, which would:
  • Restrict visas for Iranian and Chinese nationals,
  • Cap overall international student enrollment,
  • Raise penalties for visa fraud.

  The bill is pending and, if passed, could layer new limits on top of the existing ban.

• The State Department is considering adding up to 36 more countries, many in Africa, if they do not meet U.S. information-sharing and deportation cooperation standards. Officials have flagged September 2025 as a potential timeline for those additions.

Policy lawyers note that this year’s broader scope and slower roll-out could make court challenges harder than in 2017, when rapid changes generated urgent litigation.

Guidance for affected students (practical steps)

• Keep close contact with your university’s international office about enrollment, funding, and any remote study allowances.
• Ask programs to document deferral or remote options in writing, including how long they will honor offers and stipends.
• Seek guidance from advocacy groups such as the American Immigration Council and AAUP on rights, campus policies, and potential legal referrals.
• Track official updates on visa proclamations through the State Department site listed above:
  https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/presidential-proclamations.html.
• Avoid risky travel if you are in status in the U.S., and consult your school before any international trip.

Current campus reality and stakes

As the fall term starts, many Iranian students remain stranded abroad or stuck in place, with no clear path to join labs or classrooms. University administrators describe concern but move carefully. Faculty warn of long-term damage to research and U.S. academic leadership.

Policymakers who support the Trump travel ban point to national security, while critics warn of economic loss and humanitarian harm. For now, the reality on campus is simple and stark: offers stand, seats are empty, and the clock is ticking toward September policy decisions that could broaden the list of barred countries and make a hard year even harder.