International Students in Milwaukee Fear Visa Changes, Deportation Amid Trump Crackdown

Students file into the first floor of UW-Milwaukee’s Garland Hall and move down a buffet line manned by staffers from the Center for International Student Education (CIE). Mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, macaroni and turkey are piled onto each plate in celebration of the CIE’s Friendsgiving event. Students greet one another while walking down narrow hallways to find a seat.

Graduate student Chuka Onoh grabs a slice of carrot cake from the dessert table before sitting down with two friends. He regularly attends CIE events and enjoys seeing fellow international students.

“Food is good. Dessert is nice,” he said, “and I get to be with nice people.”

Onoh is from Nigeria and just one semester away from completing his master’s degree in architecture. After graduation, he plans to hang around Milwaukee to grow his work experience. But concern is high for foreign students with the government ceasing student visas, restricting people from reentering the U.S and increasing deportations around the country. As Onoh plans for his switch to a work visa, he is concerned about his residency.

“I would hope to get some assurance from the federal government that my status won’t be terminated for some flimsy reason,” he said. “It’s what we all hope for: some level of assurance so that we can all remain in status, go about our daily businesses and travel without any form of worry. No one should be worried about being snatched off the street.”

The Trump administration has cracked down on visa policies, freezing immigration processing, increasing visa sponsorship fees and denying student visa applications. International college students are directly affected by the changes; some say they fear their chance at an education will be ripped away. There are 1,020 international students from over 80 countries enrolled at UW-Milwaukee for fall 2025, according to the UWM Facts Database. Regardless of students’ field of study or country of origin, they say they’re forced to look over their shoulders every day.

Sam K., who asked to go by a nickname, is from India and enrolled in a master’s program at UWM. To navigate the political climate, she keeps herself informed on news regarding visa policies.

“As long as there’s clarity, I feel like that helps me,” she said. “I just need to know. I hate it when I’m confused.”

The CIE offers resources that cater to international student needs such as immigration coordinators, tax resources, on-campus employment, financial aid and events to keep students connected. Through these events, students get to know each other better while being far from home.

International students search for a sense of security as they work to complete their degree. As they wait, they lay low to avoid unwanted attention that could put them in danger. International students at other Milwaukee colleges are facing the same challenges.

Titi B., who asked to go by a nickname, is a sophomore at the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and is one of the few foreign students at her school. In the last year, she says she has stopped sharing anti-Trump posts because of the government’s surveillance of social media accounts. Border patrol officers have cited social media posts as reasons to refuse reentry into the U.S.

“I’m literally just here to study, and that’s really all I want to do,” she said. “I can’t really do much anyways as an immigrant. It’s not like I can vote, so I don’t understand why I am considered such a threat.”

Students are beginning to feel defeated, according to Yuka K., as the professional world is also being affected. Companies are less likely to sponsor employee visas with the huge price increase, shrinking the job market. Some employers must now pay the government a bigger annual fee to employ non-citizens in the states.

Yuka K. also asked to go by a nickname. She is a junior at the Milwaukee School of Engineering and recently attended a career fair where she said she could feel the hesitation employers had towards foreign students.

“As a junior, this is the most important career fair for me, and almost every company refused to talk to us because they were scared of the visa situation,” she said in an email. “I walked away feeling frustrated and defeated, and a lot of other students felt the same way.”