Michigan State University (MSU) has strongly advised its international students not to travel abroad in the face of escalating tensions over U.S. immigration laws. The university's Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS) issued the warning via email on Tuesday afternoon, highlighting grave worries about reentry and visa issues brought on by changes in federal legislation.

The advisory comes at a time when the Trump administration has signaled plans to revoke visas of many Chinese students, a move that has raised alarm among institutions with a sizeable international population. According to a report by WILX, MSU emphasised that while previously scheduled visa interview appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates might still go ahead, most of these diplomatic missions have stopped scheduling any new interviews.

“Out of an abundance of caution, OISS is currently advising international students not to leave the country,” an MSU spokesperson told WILX News 10.

According to the university's letter, students who are currently abroad should continue to communicate closely with the American embassy or consulate that is managing their visa application. The lack of new hires and the uncertainties surrounding ongoing immigration rulings have prompted MSU to publish this proactive advisory.

Chinese students constitute a significant percentage of MSU's international student population. The wider concerns of the academic community regarding the new U.S. immigration policy, particularly as far as the legal status and continuation of study of foreign students are concerned, are echoed in the university's prudence.

The strict foreign student admission standards by the administration, aimed at students who hail from certain countries, have most foreign scholars worried about their future in the United States, reports WILX.