In a tumultuous time for international students, Alfred Williamson, a promising young man from Wales, found himself facing unexpected challenges in his journey at Harvard University. Having made history as the first student from his school to be accepted into an Ivy League institution, Alfred was excited to embrace this new chapter of his life. However, his freshman year quickly took a turn as threats from the Trump administration began to affect international student enrollment at Harvard.
Initially reassured by friends who believed these were mere “scare tactics,” Alfred soon learned the harsh reality as the government imposed restrictions that endangered the ability of U.S. universities to accept foreign students. Following a summer abroad program, he was overwhelmed with text messages from concerned friends and family, highlighting the anxiety surrounding potential loss of financial aid crucial for his education.
While a judge temporarily halted these governmental measures, the future remained uncertain for Alfred and countless others in similar situations. As a white British male studying in America, Alfred would typically not be embroiled in immigration debates, yet the administration's fight over higher education policies has left him, and many other international students, in an unsettling limbo.
