Editor’s note: The Chronicle is committed to maintaining journalistic standards and credibility in our coverage. The Chronicle has elected to grant anonymity to one of the international students — referred to in the article under the pseudonym “John” — due to his uncertain visa status. The Chronicle has confirmed the accuracy of the quotes published through our own recording of the interview.
Amid reports that the Trump administration is considering implementing a ban on travel to the U.S. from dozens of countries, international students at Duke voiced concerns regarding student visas while administrators outlined efforts to navigate shifting federal policy.
The New York Times reported March 14 that a draft list recommending varying degrees of restriction on travel from 43 countries had been circulated among Trump administration officials, complying with a Jan. 20 executive order. Subsequent reports speculated that restrictions might be enacted as early as last week, though the administration has yet to make any official announcement.
In the draft list of potential travel restrictions, 11 countries were identified as being on a “red” list, meaning all travel to the U.S. would be banned for their citizens. Ten additional countries were placed on an “orange” list denoting sharp visa restrictions, and 22 countries were named on a “yellow” list and would have 60 days to meet the administration’s requirements before any limits are implemented.
According to Duke’s most recent Open Doors report, there were 21 undergraduate and graduate students from the 11 “red list” countries enrolled in fall 2023, with 50 more from “orange list” countries and 12 from “yellow list” countries. In fall 2024, international students comprised 11% of the undergraduate student population and 35% of the graduate student body.
“We understand the uncertainty over the expected policy changes involving international travel is causing concern, especially regarding student visas and practical training,” wrote Frank Tramble, vice president for communications, marketing and public affairs, in a Thursday email to The Chronicle. He added that University stakeholders have been “meeting regularly” since last semester to prepare for policy changes and provide “timely guidance” to students.
Such guidance has primarily been funneled through the Duke International Student Center and Duke Visa Services. In a Thursday email to The Chronicle, Kevin D’Arco, senior associate dean of international students, noted that DVS sent two messages on Jan. 20 and Feb. 4 to international students providing guidance on how to navigate changes to federal visa policy and including a reminder that “U.S. law has always required everyone who is not a U.S. citizen to carry evidence of their immigration status at all times.”
John, an undergraduate student from one of the “orange list” countries, spoke to The Chronicle on the condition of anonymity due to his uncertain visa status. He is currently taking a semester off from Duke because his visa is set to expire this spring, and he has been working on the renewal process for months while based in a third country.
John cited long wait times, high fees and difficulty getting appointments as obstacles he has already faced in that process. The recent announcement that the U.S. may place significant travel restrictions on citizens of his country could throw another wrench in his plans.
He noted that representatives from Duke have been “trying a lot” to assist him with acquiring and completing the required documents ahead of the deadline, after which point he would have to reapply for a new visa altogether.
“Getting that American visa, it is like winning a lottery,” he said. “… It is one of the hardest things you can get.”
John said he hasn’t lost hope, though, pointing out that his country is not “on the red list” — where citizens face a total ban.
Sophomore Georgia Lazarus hails from South Africa, which was not included on the draft list. However, she said she has been “a little bit anxious” about how federal travel restrictions might affect the renewal of her F-1 student visa, which expires during her senior year.
Lazarus also recalled being questioned by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents “so much more” when returned from spring break than on previous trips.
Christy Parrish, director of Duke’s Global Travel Office, wrote in a Thursday email to The Chronicle that the office has been fielding questions about the safety of international travel amid the prospective ban, even though it primarily advises students and faculty who are leaving the country, not entering it.
“We [are] advising caution and making plans that are refundable because we’re in a ‘wait and see’ stance,” Parrish wrote. She added that if a ban affecting individuals who have simply visited the listed countries is implemented, the office would encourage students and faculty to “reconsider” non-essential international travel to affected countries and “advise them of the risks and likely our inability to assist should they be prevented from returning to the United States.”
For sophomore Gemma Tutton, a native of the United Kingdom — also not on the draft list — “free speech concerns” present a serious worry even for international students who are not from targeted countries, and she pointed to students at other universities who have been “threatened and actually … deported for having certain views.”
Still, Tutton acknowledged experiencing “passport privilege” as a student with a European passport.
Trump enacted a similar travel ban during his first term, banning citizens of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen from entering the U.S. in a March 2017 executive order.
At the time, Duke joined 30 other universities in filing an amicus brief opposing the ban, arguing that it threatened their “ability to attract the best students, faculty, staff and scholars from around the world.” The case eventually made its way to the Supreme Court, which ruled in June 2018 to uphold a later version of the ban affecting five of the original countries, as well as North Korea and Venezuela.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Sign up for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.
Duke administrators did not respond to The Chronicle’s request for comment on whether the University might take a similar stance if a new travel ban is issued. However, at a Duke Graduate and Professional Student Government meeting last week, Chris Simmons, vice president for government relations, suggested the University would “continue to push back legally and legislatively” against such a move in support of its international community members.
In the Thursday email, D’Arco noted that students with questions about visa-related matters should contact their DVS departmental liaison, who are Duke’s designated school officials — roles that fulfill a governmental requirement for compliance with federal immigration law.
Zoe Kolenovsky is a Trinity junior and news editor of The Chronicle's 120th volume.