Students travelling to the US on J1 visas this summer have been urged to be “cautious and informed” about the potential risks involved in “activism” while there.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) said it is important that those travelling “fully understand” the possible consequences for their visa status, including the risk of deportation, and take steps to safeguard their participation in such activities, the USI said on Tuesday.
The US administration earlier this month said it was to begin screening the social media accounts of immigrants, visa applicants and foreign students for what it has called “anti-Semitic activity”.
President Donald Trump last month said the arrest of a Columbia University graduate for taking part in pro-Palestinian protests was “the first of many to come”, stoking fears of a clampdown on free speech and campus-based activism.
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In a statement on Tuesday, the union said activism is a vital part of student life and a right that should be protected. It said it strongly condemned any attempt to restrict the rights of Irish students on J1 visas to engage in activism, including in relation to events in the Middle East.
“Any actions that threaten students’ ability to freely express their views are deeply concerning and undermine the principles of free speech and democratic engagement,” the USI said.
“At the same time, we urge students to be cautious and informed about the potential risks involved in activism while on a J1 visa.”
The USI has called on US and Irish authorities to provide clarity on the issue in order to ensure students are “fully aware” of their rights and responsibilities while participating in the J1 programme.
Speaking on his way into Government Buildings on Tuesday, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris said his department had not changed its travel advice in relation to the US.
He said it was important when travelling to “any jurisdiction” to consider “the local situation, the local laws, to consider if what’s acceptable in Ireland is acceptable in the country that you’re visiting”.
He said a pro-Palestinian march was “of course” acceptable in Ireland while protest was “a really important part of any democracy”.
“Protest has always been an important part of US society as well,” he added. “My advice to students travelling to the United States or indeed anywhere this summer is to enjoy their summer, to be safe, to familiarise themself with the local environment and also to make themselves aware of the Irish consulate or ambassadorial presence in a country should they need it.
“In any country I think you always have to be familiar with what the rules and the laws are in that country. That’s the standard advice I would give to anybody going abroad. But the advice I would give to students this summer is to enjoy themselves, to enjoy themselves in a safe way. A J1 is a very important part of a formation for many young people travelling over the summer period, student exchanges.”
Meanwhile, Trinity College’s school of medicine has said it is aware of “a very small number” of American students struggling to get funding for their studies from the Trump administration.
The situation has the potential to “take longer than usual to resolve” because of the cuts to the US Department of Education Federal Student Aid Office.
“Trinity’s school of medicine is currently looking at how best to resolve these issues to protect the students affected in a fair manner,” a spokesman for the school said. “We think a solution is not far off.”
