A contributed perspectives piece by Campbell Gavin
The United States has long marketed itself as the “land of the free,” a beacon for those seeking the “American Dream,” no matter their origin. Yet the US implements roadblocks going against the very nature of our nation as a whole. In recent months, there has been an increase in hostility towards the global scholarly community. Through the abrupt revocation of visas, detention camps without trial, and targeted actions by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the government is attacking the very individuals who fuel our nation’s intellectual and economic engine
A nation that defines itself by the “rule of law” cannot justify detaining scholars without due process. These actions do not just disrupt individual lives, but undermine the constitutional values of the United States, widening the gap between American ideals and American practices.
In 2024, the United States hosted around 1.1 million international students. These international scholars contribute billions to the economy, drive groundbreaking research and elevate prestige to American universities. However, beginning in early 2025, a systematic “crackdown” began. The federal government started revoking over 8,000 international student visas, with little to no transparency, leaving many students in fear. While the Secretary of State Marco Rubio justifies these measures as essential to protecting “national interests,” specifically targeting pro-Palestinian protests, or those accused of celebrating the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, the reality is far more dire when it comes to the protection of foundational policies, such as due process. Reports from outlets like PBS News and CNN indicate that the reason for the revocation of visas has far exceeded this justification, while also arguing that the federal government is infringing upon fundamental values that the nation holds dear, yet is disregarding them in terms of international students. Many students with no criminal records and no history of unrest are being pressured to leave, revealing a strong assumption the federal government seems to have over their authority involving visa holders.
The United States is showing themselves as a nation that profits from foreign students, while denying them basic protections. They welcome these students’ tuition and labor but disregard their rights at the government’s whim. This contradicts the foundational principle that all people are created equal. If international students are “good enough” to prop up our economy and academic rankings, then they must be “good enough” to deserve protection of our laws
Consider the case of Rümeysa Öztürk, a student at Tufts University. Despite her high academic standing and no criminal record, Öztürk’s visa was revoked without her knowledge. She was detained in a Louisiana detention camp for weeks with no criminal charges filed. Her only “offense” was co-authorizing an opinion editorial in The Tufts Daily, with other fellow Tufts students, criticizing the university’s leadership in regards to the Gaza war, asking the university to recognise the genocide against Palestinians. While her peers, U.S. citizens, were left untouched, Öztürk was singled out. This is a clear overreach of the government’s power intended to suppress free speech, ultimately being an unconstitutional behavior.
To rectify this the administrative pathway must be clarified. The U.S. should require a formal “Due Process Protection” reform for visa holders. This would mandate transparency, judicial review and oversight. Judicial review would ensure a judge, who is not affiliated with politics would oversee these visa terminations. This would give international students the respected time and protocol in terms of their visas, without being left in the dark until ICE comes to detain them.
The United States cannot continue to market itself as the land of opportunity while quietly stripping opportunity away from those who help build this country. If the nation truly believes in the values it is founded upon such as liberty, due process and opportunity, then it must extend these principles to everyone who helps build this country, including international students. Otherwise the “American Dream” is no longer an ideal, but is merely a slogan for the selectively chosen.
Campbell Gavin is a freshman at James Madison University studying Public Administration with a minor in the Honors College. A member of the Delta Phi Epsilon foreign service fraternity, she focuses her studies on international relations and policy. In her free time, she competes on the JMU club gymnastics team and is an avid skier at Massanutten.
