September 18, 2025: This Week in International Student News

USCIS just updated the US citizenship test, so I added a mini civics quiz at the end of this week's newsletter to see if you have what it takes to pass. Take it, then check your answers. No studying required!

Here's what else I'm covering in this week's issue:

📰 Top Headlines: Social media monitoring escalates after the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, UC Berkeley shares student names, and higher education groups advocate for travel ban exemptions

💰 Scholarship Spotlight: Ohio Wesleyan University offers $35,000 annual scholarships with no additional application required

🔍 Interesting Find: College newspapers struggle to protect international students from government targeting

⚡ Deep Dive: What Americans really think about international students—and why it matters for your future

Let's dive in.

Carrie at International Student Voice ⭐

info@istudentvoice.com

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📰 TOP 3 HEADLINES FROM THE WEEK

⚖️ US Officials Plan to Punish Foreigners for 'Making Light of' Charlie Kirk's Death

The Trump administration is escalating its crackdown on foreign nationals who comment negatively about Charlie Kirk's death on social media. Kirk was a prominent conservative political activist and the founder of Turning Point USA, a right-wing student organization. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced that "foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors" and directed consular officials to take action against those "praising, rationalizing, or making light of" Kirk's killing online. This expands the administration's already aggressive social media vetting of international students, which now includes screening for "anti-American" views and requiring students to unlock their social media profiles during visa review. The policy represents a significant escalation in social media monitoring that could directly impact visa applications and renewals, meaning international students should exercise extreme caution with their online presence and political commentary. (The Guardian)

🎓 UC Berkeley Shares 160 Names with Trump Administration in Anti-Semitism Investigation

The University of California, Berkeley has provided the Trump administration with the names of 160 faculty members, staff, and students—including international students—as part of a Department of Education investigation into "alleged antisemitic incidents." The list includes prominent feminist philosopher Judith Butler, who called the move a "practice from the McCarthy era"—referring to the 1950s period when Senator Joseph McCarthy led investigations targeting Americans suspected of communist sympathies, often based on little evidence and resulting in ruined careers and lives. The university suspended normal complaint procedures, meaning allegations—even anonymous ones—were forwarded to the federal government without being adjudicated, stripping faculty and students of their rights to respond or get basic information about the inquiries. (The Guardian)

🚫 Higher Education Groups Push to Exempt Students from Trump Travel Ban

Higher education organizations are lobbying to exempt international students and scholars from Trump's travel ban affecting 19 countries, arguing that these students already undergo enhanced security screening including social media reviews. The current ban, announced in June, limits travel from 12 countries with full restrictions plus 7 others with partial limitations, with Iran having the most significant student presence at 12,500 students who predominantly study graduate-level STEM fields. An additional 36 countries, including African nations like Ghana and Nigeria that have seen major increases in U.S.-bound students, face potential restrictions unless their governments address fraud and visa overstays within a 60-day deadline that has already passed. The groups emphasize that preventing these students from studying in America would create both academic and economic losses, noting that Trump's previous travel ban during his first term included exemptions for some student visa holders. (AP News | Chronicle of Higher Education)

🎓 FEATURED SCHOLARSHIP

Ohio Wesleyan University Offers $35,000 Annual Scholarships

Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio, provides international student scholarships worth $35,000 per year. The best part? No additional scholarship application is required—eligible students are automatically considered during the admissions process. This liberal arts university provides a close-knit campus experience with small class sizes and personalized attention from faculty. With this substantial scholarship, international students can significantly reduce the cost of their U.S. education while gaining access to Ohio Wesleyan's strong academic programs and vibrant campus community. We help students apply to US universities and navigate life in the US, reply to this email to learn about our services.

🔍 INTERESTING FIND

📰 College Student Newspapers Struggle with Protecting International Students from Government Targeting

College student newspaper editors across the country are grappling with unprecedented requests to remove names and photos of international students from previously published stories due to fears of federal government retaliation. The dilemma stems from the Trump administration's aggressive immigration crackdown, including the deportation of students like Rümeysa Öztürk from Tufts University, who was detained for 45 days after writing an opinion piece about divesting from companies with ties to Israel. Student editors are now creating policies to balance journalistic integrity with protecting vulnerable international students who fear deportation, visa revocation, or harassment simply for expressing political opinions or participating in public events. (Iowa Capital Dispatch)

News in 1 Sentence

Botswana is emerging as a trending study abroad destination for international students seeking alternatives to traditional destinations like the US, UK, and Canada, as these countries tighten immigration rules and increase costs.

Chinese scientist was sentenced to time served after three months in jail for illegally shipping biological materials to the US, with the judge noting the materials posed no public threat.

Chinese students studying in the US face increased scrutiny abroad and suspicion at home, as employers question their loyalty and the "golden ticket" of American education loses its shine amid geopolitical tensions.

Green card applicants received a significant boost in October's visa bulletin, as the new fiscal year brought substantial progress in most employment-based categories, allowing more qualified individuals to file their cases.

Harvard international student-athlete reflects on how the 2025 visa crisis forced her to confront her identity as an international student for the first time, finding security in her athletic community amid unprecedented uncertainty.

Trump administration wants UCLA to reduce foreign enrollment and pledge not to admit "anti-Western" international students as part of a proposed settlement over antisemitism claims, using international students as bargaining chips similar to requirements imposed on Columbia University.

DEEP DIVE: IMMIGRATION CORNER 🛂

What Americans Really Think About International Students

A new Pew Research survey reveals a complex picture of American attitudes toward international students that offers both hope and concern for the 1.1 million foreign students currently studying in the US.

The Good News: Nearly 8 in 10 Americans (79%) believe it's good for US colleges to accept international students, with majorities in both parties supporting this view—93% of Democrats and 66% of Republicans. This positive sentiment has remained stable since 2021, suggesting broad-based support for international education.

The Concerning Trends: However, significant portions of Americans support restrictions that could directly impact your experience. Half of Americans (50%) support limiting Chinese students, while smaller but notable shares want restrictions on students from Nigeria (29%), India (27%), and South Korea (25%)—countries that historically send large numbers of students to the U.S.

Political Expression at Risk: Perhaps most alarming for current students, 42% of Americans believe the government should be able to cancel visas of international students who criticize U.S. foreign policy. This support is heavily partisan—70% of Republicans versus just 16% of Democrats—and could explain recent deportations of student activists.

Knowledge Gap: Most Americans dramatically overestimate international student numbers. While foreign students represent just 6% of all U.S. college students, only 12% of Americans correctly guessed this figure. Many believe the percentage is much higher, potentially fueling support for restrictions.

What This Means: These findings help explain the current policy climate. While most Americans welcome international students in principle, significant minorities support restrictions that the Trump administration has been implementing. Understanding these attitudes can help you navigate conversations and advocacy efforts more effectively.

Do you feel these survey results reflect those in your community?

Source: Pew Research Center

🇺🇲 Mini-US Citizenship Quiz 🇺🇲 

USCIS is updating the civics part of the naturalization test: there’s now a bank of 128 questions, and you’ll be asked up to 20...you have to answer at least 12 correctly to pass. Which version you take depends on when you filed your N-400, with more recent filers seeing the new test.

Here are some example questions...answers are at the end of the newsletter!

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

2. What does the Constitution do?

3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

4. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

5. Name one right or freedom from the First Amendment.

6. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

7. What is freedom of religion?

8. Name one branch or part of the government.

9. Who makes federal laws?

10. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?

11. How many U.S. Senators are there?

12. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

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Disclaimer: International Student Voice is not an immigration attorney or immigration advisor. The purpose of this newsletter is strictly educational. Always consult with qualified legal counsel for advice specific to your situation.

Quiz answers:

1. The Constitution

2. Sets up the government; defines the government; protects basic rights of Americans

3. “We the People”

4. The Bill of Rights

5. Speech, religion, assembly, press, petition the government (any one)

6. Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness (any two)

7. You can practice any religion, or not practice a religion

8. Congress; legislative; President; executive; the courts; judicial (any one)

9. Congress; Senate and House; U.S. legislature (any one)

10. The Senate and the House

11. 100

12. 6