Passengers arrive on international flights at Miami International Airport, Monday, June 9, in Miami. Rebecca Blackwell/AP hide caption
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Rebecca Blackwell/AP
President Trump’s most recent travel ban may face legal challenges in the near future, but some hoping to travel to the United States soon may not be able to wait for the courts to step in.
Even those who should be allowed in, according to the president’s executive order issuing the ban, worry their plans to come to the U.S. could be affected. Among them is a student from Myanmar, who was admitted to a graduate program at an Ivy League school he was set to attend this fall.
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The student spoke to Morning Edition under the condition of anonymity, because he fears retribution from the administration or losing his student visa for speaking out. Trump’s newest travel ban went into effect Monday and bars nationals from 12 countries, including Myanmar, from entering the country unless they are lawful permanent residents, existing visa holders, fall under certain visa categories or their entry serves U.S. national interests. The ban also partially restricts travel from seven other countries.
Myanmar is currently under the control of a military regime that staged a coup against the elected government in 2021. The military controlled government has clashed with ethnic minorities and pro-democracy militias since then. The Trump administration stated that Myanmar was among the 12 countries banned because of high overstay visa rates and non-cooperation with the U.S. government.
The student told NPR’s Steve Inskeep that when he first came to the United States for his undergraduate degree, his favorite class was about the U.S. Constitution.
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“I was fascinated by, you know, American history, but also constitutional history, freedom of expression, freedom of speech, the idea and the evolution of, you know, the rights of habeas corpus,” he said.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Interview highlights
Inskeep: Are all of those different things, the right of free expression, the right of free speech, habeas corpus, which is the right to be brought before a judge if you’re detained? Are those things that you didn’t always have in your home country growing up?
Student: Yeah, exactly right. We never had these rights. I always intended to go back to my own country at that time. Myanmar was opening up and there were a lot of reforms going on politically, economically. And it was a very interesting time to learn about these things because you were constantly thinking, “OK, we should have these in our country too, in our own way.”
Inskeep: In more recent years, there was a military coup in your country, if I’m not mistaken.
Student: Which brought me to Thailand. I’m in exile in Thailand, essentially, because I work in the human rights sector and I wouldn’t be safe in Myanmar.
Inskeep: When did you receive the acceptance letter?
Student: It was the middle of March.
Inskeep: And at this point, President Trump was already president and talking about mass deportations and so forth.
Student: Around April, you started hearing about the travel ban. So I always expected this to happen, which is why I kind of nagged my school to give me my immigration documents as soon as possible, so that I can buy and secure my visa as fast as possible before, you know, additional restrictions.
Inskeep: Do you have the visa?
Student: I do have a visa now. But just to be sure, I have also applied to universities elsewhere if I’m not allowed entry to the U.S.
Inskeep: We had an immigration lawyer on our program who was talking about the exact wording of this travel order, and she observed that it was more precisely worded than some travel orders the President issued in his previous term, and that some people can get in even if some people are left out. Had you been going through this thing, looking at the exact wording and wondering what it means to you?
Student: I sought guidance from my school. They told me that since I have an existing visa, I am likely to be allowed to enter. So the keyword being likely. So that’s where I am at the moment where I think I can gain entry. But it’s a new regime, new law, so I don’t know how it will play out.
Inskeep: There’s a huge debate right now in the United States about international students, particularly at elite universities. The allegation made is that it’s not in the interest of the United States to let people in. Can you answer for yourself? Do you think it is in the interest of the United States to give you a chance at an education?
Student: I would say it has always been. And we know for a fact that, you know, a lot of schools in the U.S. rely on international students and international talent and tuition paid by international students, but it’s definitely in the interest of a lot of even smaller higher education institutions in the U.S..
Inskeep: Are you confident that Americans will welcome you regardless of the political situation here?
Student: I have no doubt about that. I think whatever is going on at the federal political level, I don’t think that’s the America that I know, the people I have met, I studied at a very rural college and there was never a time that I didn’t feel welcome. And I expect that to continue.
Inskeep: One of the things on my mind, we have seen some early indications that there might be a decrease in student interest in the United States. And it’s very early. I don’t think we can conclude anything. Speaking again just for yourself, do you still want to come to the United States?
Student: I do, but it makes one think. Because of this travel ban, even if I can gain entry and finish my program, I will not be able to have my family come over for my graduation, for example. And even when I’m studying, I cannot go on study abroad trips, you know, short exchange trips because of the fear of running into potential visa issues. So if you are to travel in and out of the country, is this much restricted, you start questioning if it’s even worth it.
The audio version of this piece was edited by Mohamad ElBardicy. The digital was edited by Obed Manuel.
