Immigration restrictions are hurting already struggling Minnesota colleges, universities

Gwamaka Mahenya knew studying in the United States would mean making sacrifices. The St. Olaf College junior applied to universities elsewhere, such as in the United Kingdom, and had been accepted to some. But coming to the U.S. made financial sense, he said, even if it meant being farther from home. 

Now, as federal immigration policies narrow international students’ opportunities to work and stay in the U.S., Mahenya said those sacrifices have grown beyond what he expected. 

“My younger brother is growing up without me, my pets are growing up without me,” he said. “Everything at home feels like it’s changing, and I’m just stuck here. I can’t go home.”

Tanzania, where Mahenya was born, is one of the 39 countries placed on the travel ban list the Trump administration announced in 2025. The restrictions partially suspend entry for Tanzanian nationals, meaning that if he were to leave the U.S., he could be barred from reentry. 

The travel ban paired with tighter federal rules around internships and jobs in his field after graduation have Mahenya feeling down about any future in the U.S.

“There’s no point in staying afterwards when I graduate. There’s no point in interning here because I can’t intern,” Mahenya said. “So, yeah.” 

His experience reflects a growing challenge for colleges across Minnesota. More than half of U.S. colleges and universities reported a decline in international student applications for the 2025-26 academic year amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. 

International students, faced with restricted off-campus work options, visa denials and growing uncertainty about post-grad employment, are beginning to turn away from the promise and prestige long associated with an American degree, leaving Minnesota colleges and universities scrambling to balance federal pressures with international appeal. 

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And the stakes extend beyond losing the rich and varied perspective that international students contribute to intellectual life and culture on college campuses: International students also contribute significant tuition revenue in a time when the University of Minnesota is preparing for budget cuts that could total as much as $260 million, while the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system faces a deficit of about $30 million. 

Federal changes add uncertainty for colleges, students

“I’ll be really honest — it’s been a really hard 18 to 20 months,” said Jacy Corey Fry, director of Kearney International Center at During President Donald Trump’s second term, the federal government has intensified vetting for student visas, narrowed internship eligibility and moved to replace the longstanding “duration of status” policy with a four-year admission rule, requiring students to apply for extensions — which can cost hundreds of dollars. A judge paused the rule before it took effect in September. 

Most recently, the federal government has proposed charging colleges $70,000 for an initial recommendation for post-graduation jobs, known as Optional Practical Training, which allows international students to work in their field after graduation, and $30,000 for further recommendations. The proposal has not taken effect.  

Measuring the economic damage of Minnesota’s ICE surge is hard

“We’ve just been getting new things thrown at us from Department of Homeland Security and (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) that have never historically happened,” Fry said. “Advising appointments has become much more difficult and so much more high stakes and emotional because it’s challenging their ability to stay here and achieve [their] goals.” 

At Mankato, which ranked 15th nationally in international student enrollment in 2025, international enrollment fell 18% this fall, according to Fry. Mankato, the second largest college in the state, has managed to maintain overall enrollment, but recently announced plans to cut 60 jobs across all departments in order to address its $22 million budget shortfall.

Mankato isn’t alone. 

St. Cloud State University Vice President of Global Engagement Shahzad Ahmad said the college has seen an overall decrease in interest and applications — which translated to fewer students this fall. St. Cloud State’s fall 2026 enrollment declined, and roughly half was driven by international student visa issues.

Even when students are able to make it through securing an appointment at a U.S. consulate and avoid their visas being denied, they face new barriers once they arrive that may dissuade them. Under the new internship guidelines, if the job isn’t explicitly needed to finish their degree, they cannot pursue it — putting them at a disadvantage in an already competitive job market. 

“Many students are not just looking at just a piece of paper with a degree,” Ahmad said. “But also what practical experience industry can provide from another country to help them become better employees.” 

Mahenya, the Tanzanian student, said he applied for 40 jobs and internships last summer, advancing to the final interview stage for seven. But after learning he needed a special authorization, employers did not extend offers.

“I’m a political science and film major. Hollywood is the film capital of the world. I would have loved to be able to do something there,” he said. “I’m international, so they don’t want me.” 

Adding pressure to already strained colleges 

For years, Minnesota colleges have been grappling with rising operating costs, underwhelming state and federal support and an “enrollment cliff” — a decline in the number of traditional college-age students due to lower birthrates after 2008. 

For these colleges, international students can be an important source of tuition revenue — particularly because they generally do not qualify for the same state and federal financial aid available to domestic students and oftentimes pay close to sticker price. In 2025 alone, over 15,500 international students enrolled in Minnesota colleges and universities, contributing an estimated $518 million to the Minnesota economy.

The University of Minnesota Twin Cities enrolled more than 6,000 international undergraduate and graduate students in 2025, making it the state’s largest destination for international students. But international enrollment at the university declined by about 8% this fall, according to Jack Miner, a vice president. 

The decline comes as the university system recently announced an aggressive budget-cutting effort, that would eliminate around 230 jobs and reduce its allocated operating funds by as much as 15%. 

“If the United States becomes less competitive in attracting those students, the impacts could extend well beyond enrollment. Research universities rely on global talent to advance scientific discovery, drive innovation and strengthen graduate education. International students also contribute to workforce development in critical fields including healthcare, engineering, technology and the sciences,” Miner wrote in a statement to the Reformer. 

At Bethany Lutheran College, a liberal arts college in Mankato, 20% of the student population is international. Last year, they enrolled 149 international students. This year, they enrolled 10 fewer. Given its small size — just over 900 students — even slight fluctuations can have an impact. 

Students who might have been bound for Bethany Lutheran are choosing to study in other English-speaking countries like Great Britain, Australia and Canada rather than the U.S., according to Jeffrey Lemke, a vice president for admissions. 

Besides the decrease in the revenue for the college, Lemke said that the surrounding community loses out, too. 

“I think our local businesses are the first to tell us just how wonderful it is to have students and parents here from many parts of the world spending money and enjoying their life in America,” Lemke said. “We’ve seen a number of local businesses that have reached out to us to let us know that it’s been helpful for their own business to have our international students around.” 

The loss of 111,000 international students nationwide could cost the U.S. economy $3.4 billion. In Minnesota, the projected economic loss is $41.4 million, according to a projection from the Association of International Educators. 

What’s next?

Colleges must now attract students while also convincing them that the U.S. remains a place where they can gain experience and even build a future.

At St. Cloud State and Mankato State, academic departments are reviewing program requirements to identify ways students can continue gaining industry experience as part of their education. At St. Olaf, a task force was created to explore new opportunities for international students who have lost access to some off-campus work experiences.

But colleges cannot replace every opportunity that was available as recently as 2024. Even as administrators work to adapt, international students must navigate uncertainty about their lives in the U.S.

“Everyone’s got weight on them, but I think when you’re international and all this keeps coming at you, it feels like there’s something that people just don’t understand,” said Caitlin Lamont Kreienkamp, St. Olaf’s assistant director of international student compliance, who has been helping students navigate the federal changes. 

For now, Kreienkamp said she encourages students to seek experience abroad or look for opportunities to work on campus.

Still, for students like Mahenya, those alternatives may do little to ease the uncertainty a future in the U.S. entails. 

“I’m getting an education, but I really can’t do anything with it,” he said. “I also can’t go home, and it just really makes you wonder like ‘What’s the point?’”

Courtesy of Minnesota Reformer