April 8, 2025
WASHINGTON – For generations, the US promised international students not just a degree but also a voice – one grounded in academic freedom and open debate.
Now, that legacy is unravelling, as a sweeping crackdown leaves immigrant communities – including more than 4,000 Singaporeans studying in America – on edge.
The government revoked the visas of more than 300 students and visitors because of their foreign policy views or criminal activities, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 27. The announcement follows a string of arrests and detentions targeting students linked to campus protests over Israel’s war in Gaza.
For some Singaporeans, the once-remote fear of deportation now governs daily decisions. One student from Columbia University, ground zero for pro-Palestinian protests that rippled across US campuses, said he now lives in a constant state of anxiety.
“It has made me feel that no one is safe,” said the student, who declined to give his name for fear of reprisal.
“It feels like, at any point, they can make arbitrary decisions that affect your immigration status in a way that hasn’t gone through meticulous review. That’s scary – because then you’re at the mercy not just of an administration, but of one person who may be out to get you for your ideas or speech.”
The immigration authorities on March 8 arrested Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, 30, a Palestinian and legal permanent resident, at his home.
Dozens of other student leader arrests followed. Ms Yunseo Chung, 21, a South Korean student at Columbia University involved in pro-Palestinian protests, had her permanent residency revoked on March 10.
Turkish Fulbright scholar Rumeysa Ozturk, 30, was detained on March 25 outside her Boston home – a year after she expressed support for Palestinians in a student newspaper op-ed. A judge has since halted her removal, but a video of her being ambushed and handcuffed by masked agents jolted students across the country.
After his inauguration in January, US President Donald Trump vowed to intensify efforts to curb pro-Palestine protests at universities, citing concerns over rising anti-Semitism.
On Jan 29, he signed an executive order directing federal agencies to investigate and punish anti-Semitic activity on university campuses. The order also mandated a sweeping review of federal grants to universities that fail to sufficiently address such incidents on campus.
Whatever happened to freedom of speech?
“To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: Come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you,” Mr Trump said in a statement announcing the executive order.
“I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathisers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before,” he added.
The administration maintains that the actions are necessary to protect Jewish students, but critics argue that the measures conflate legitimate criticism of Israel with anti-Semitism, potentially infringing upon free speech rights.
Singaporeans told The Straits Times that the US, once celebrated as a haven for free speech, no longer feels like a safe or welcoming place for internationals who express political views. They did not want to be named, for fear of retribution by the Trump administration.
“It’s ridiculous,” said one, who holds a US work visa. “You are in a country that is supposed to be all about freedom of speech. They make such a fuss about how I have the right to say whatever I want, but now suddenly I don’t.”
Legal experts, immigration attorneys and students argue the recent detentions amount to a sweeping campaign to silence dissent, particularly on university campuses, which have long been criticised by Trump supporters.
“They are picking their targets carefully,” said Professor Michael Jones-Correa, who teaches political science at the University of Pennsylvania. “Clearly, it’s a tool of intimidation about speech at an institution they mistrust and see as hostile. So in that sense, it’s part of a broader campaign against universities and immigrants.”
The US Secretary of State has broad authority to deny or cancel visas for individuals deemed a threat to national interest. But lawyers say removing people over political expression likely violates constitutional protections of free speech – rights that should also apply to legal immigrants.
“The First Amendment is the great promise of America – you can speak your mind regardless of who you are. And what they’re trying to do is take that voice away from students,” said Mr Charles Kuck, founder of Kuck Baxter, an immigration law firm in Atlanta.
The recent crackdown, he said, is likely to have a chilling effect on speech for both citizens and immigrants. “This is meant to terrorise, and it’s working.”
President Trump swept into office in January, vowing to crack down on immigration. In his first seven weeks, US officials deported 28,000 people, or about 661 per day, Axios reported. This is, however, lower than the Biden-era daily average of over 700, when there were more border crossings.
Precautions Singaporeans are taking
International students are an easy deportation target, said Mr Kuck. Unlike undocumented immigrants who can go unnoticed for years, students are easier to track and remove. “They live on campus, follow routines, and have to regularly report their location.”
Faced with the threat of deportation, some Singaporeans in the US said they are taking extra precautions when travelling, such as carrying key documents on them in case they face trouble at the border.
Others are cancelling trips out of the country to avoid the risk of being detained, or deleting their social media accounts altogether.
One Singaporean who has lived in America for three decades said she no longer encourages other Singaporeans to follow her path. “Honestly, I would say don’t come now. It’s too upsetting. We don’t know what’s happening; it changes day to day.”
Still, others said they understand the government’s desire to maintain order on campus.
Mr Joshua Chin, a Singaporean studying finance at Carnegie Mellon University, said that despite the recent deportations, the US remains a great option for students interested in expanding their world view. “I came to America because I wanted to be in an environment where views can be shared freely, but when people take over campus buildings and actively disrupt the lives of those around them, things go too far.”
America, he believes, is still a strong choice for Singaporeans looking to study or work abroad. “The US economy, jobs market, tech and engineering markets are simply unbeatable.”
On a resume, “US experience is the gold standard”, he added.
Evaluating economic opportunities and personal risks
Many international students are now weighing those economic opportunities against a growing list of risks – including the possibility that their online activity could jeopardise their visa status.
In a cable sent to embassies abroad on March 25, Mr Rubio ordered diplomats to scour the social media of student and exchange visitor visa applicants, The New York Times reported. Applicants who show a “hostile attitude” towards the country can be denied a visa.
“There is no right to a student visa. We can cancel a student visa under the law in the same way that we can deny a student visa under the law. And we will do so in cases we find appropriate,” he expounded at a press conference on March 28.
That message has landed. Faced with the threat of sudden revocation, some Singaporeans said the only sure-fire protection is silence.
“Just don’t say anything against the government,” advised a Singaporean green card holder who has lived in America for eight years.
“Coming from Singapore, that’s not too hard to do. Don’t post anything on social media. Adopt (an) apolitical mindset… That’s probably the best way to survive this.”