Indian students quitting part-time jobs in US over Trump's deportation threats

Weeks before US President Donald Trump came back to the White House, several Indian students studying in the United States have quit their part-time jobs amid fears of deportation. Some of the students who are on an F-1 visa are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week on campus. However, they tend to take undocumented odd jobs to make ends meet.

With Trump coming back to power, these students don’t want to risk breaking visa regulations and risking deportation since they have taken a student loan of a hefty amount to pursue their academic endeavours. While speaking to The Times of India some of these students shared their plight about how they are navigating through the Trump era. “I used to work in a small café after my college hours to cover my monthly expenses. I earned $7 per hour and worked six hours every day,” a graduate student from the University of Illinois told TOI.

“Though it was a comfortable arrangement, I quit last week after hearing that immigration authorities might crack down on unauthorised work. I can’t take any chances, especially after borrowing $50,000 (Rs 42.5 lakh approx.) to study here,” he added. Several Indian students used to work at restaurants, gas stations, or retail stores to cover rent, groceries, and other living costs. However, amid fears that the Trump administration would tighten its noose on immigration, the students don’t want to take any risks.

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How are they surviving then?

Some of the students told TOI that they are currently reassessing the situation for a few months and then they will decide whether to take up part-time jobs again or not. These students claimed that they are currently relying on savings or borrowing from friends and families back home in India to make ends meet. “But it is not a sustainable solution,” another student who pursued computer science in Texas told TOI.

“I have already used up most of my savings and have started borrowing small amounts from my roommate. I don’t know how long I can go on like this,” he furthered. The instability has also sparked mental health concerns with some students struggling to navigate through financial and emotional strain.

While Trump has maintained that lenient stance on H-1B visas as compared to the last time he was in power and encouraged international students to study in American Universities, Indians studying abroad don’t want to take a risk by breaking any visa rules.

With inputs from agencies.