International students self-censor amid fear of visa consequences, survey finds

International students in the U.S. are self-censoring, avoiding political activity and limiting their public presence due to fear of surveillance and visa consequences, according to a Stop AAPI Hate survey released Wednesday. The survey found that 88% of respondents became less civically or politically active and 86% altered their social media use. Students said they viewed these changes as necessary to avoid actions that could place their immigration status at risk.

The survey was conducted between August and October and included responses from 87 international students across 36 U.S. colleges and universities. Nearly all respondents were on F-1 visas, and only 4% said they felt very or extremely safe in the U.S at the time of the survey, while 90% said they were moderately to extremely fearful about their student visa status.

Respondents described withdrawing from protests, class discussions and online expression amid uncertainty over immigration enforcement and monitoring. “I thought I had a voice by being in the U.S. I’m not brave enough to lose everything I have here and be deported,” one surveyed international student said in the report.

Asian students, who make up about 72% of international students in the U.S., reported particularly high levels of fear tied to race, nationality and political assumptions. Students from countries including China, India and South Korea said they worried that their background or perceived political views could draw scrutiny that might jeopardize their ability to complete their studies or remain in the country.

The survey also found gaps in campus support that compounded students’ concerns. While most respondents said their schools offered basic services such as mental health counseling and general visa information, fewer than half reported receiving guidance on completing their academic programs during visa or travel disruptions, and only 38% said their institutions offered legal aid.

The report comes as federal immigration enforcement affecting international students has expanded in both scope and frequency. The Trump administration has revoked more than 6,000 student visas this year for alleged criminal violations and overstays, according to the State Department. The move has contributed to a sharp increase in overall visa cancellations that rose to roughly 40,000, up from about 16,000 during the same period under the Biden administration.

The administration is also moving to tighten the structure of student visas themselves. The Department of Homeland Security has proposed new regulations that would impose fixed time limits on F visas for international students and J visas for exchange visitors, replacing the decades-old “duration of status” system that allows students to remain in the U.S. for the length of their academic programs.