Democracy in danger: Heinisch warns of the influence of the Trump era

Democracy in danger: Heinisch warns of the influence of the Trump era

In an alarming demonstration, academics and students in Salzburg expressed concern about the oppressive changes the Trump administration is planning for international students in the United States. Political scientist Heinisch, a US expert, described the current situation as a serious threat to democracy and warned that what is happening in the US could also affect Europe. “The evil spirit of Donald Trump is also noticeable here, as we see in Hungary, where universities have been closed and the teaching content is censored,” he said during the protest on the “Stand up for Science” day of action, which mobilized many international cities - including Vienna - on Friday ORF Salzburg reported.

The student visa changes proposed by the Trump administration primarily affect F-1 visas, which are now valid for the duration of student status. In the future, however, these will be limited to a maximum of four years, even if students are enrolled in longer courses or need additional time to complete their degree. This regulation also applies to students from countries that are considered terrorist states or from countries with over 10% student visa overstays, who could only receive a stay of two years. Ximena Del Decerro, an NYU graduate student, expressed her disappointment: "It can't be surprising then that you see everything you've done to immigrate as worthless when conditions can change at any time." Fox News noted.

Negative impact on international students