Foreign Student Visa cancellation issue is widely criticised by opposition and most of the Ivy league universities forced US President Donald Trump to reverse the decision within couple of days of issuance. Universities running Online classes told to send back foreign students. Students were supposed to leave USA and return only when on-campus classes will resume. The issue seems to be unjust to students and widely debated on same lines by students, academicians, universities and politicians. Harvard University, first to declare entire 2020-21 session online, was very much vocal against this decision.

Let us examine what if students taking online classes stay back in US

In 2019, total number of international students enrolled in US colleges was 1,095,299. For tenth consecutive year, China remained largest source of international students in United States, in 2018/19 with 369,548 students in undergraduate, graduate, non-degree, and optional practical training programs, a 1.7% increase from 2017/18.

India (202,014, +2.9%), South Korea (52,250), Saudi Arabia (37,080), and Canada (26,122) round out the top five. Emerging market countries showed some of the strongest growth year over year, especially Bangladesh (+10 %), Brazil (+9.8%), Nigeria (+5.8%), and Pakistan (+5.6%).

Chinese students are approximately 33%, the biggest share among the total foreign students studying in the USA. It is an open secret that China is origin of The Corona virus and it intentionally suppressed the information for over 3 months’ time. From December 2019 to March 2020, thousands of people are supposed to be dead in China. If we go through the statistics Italy & US are the worst affected countries. Italy hosts over two hundred thousand of Chinese workmen and engineers, whereas the USA hosts over four hundred thousand students alone.

As per Time magazine, cost of COVID-19 treatment of a person in USA is $ 35,000 approximately. Imagine 3.5 million covid positive cases as on 15^th July,2020. Situation where students are living in Domes and hostels in large groups inside the university campuses are more vulnerable to the spread of the virus. At the cost of $440 for health insurance, the US government will have to pay        $35000 for the corona virus treatment of a students.

In a hypothetical situation if we assume 5-10% of the students are covid-19 affected and need treatment, it comes to 55000-110000 students, will need $4000 million to treat them and much more on the occasion of death. Important here to mention that physical resources like hospitals, beds, doctors, nursing staff, medicines will be needed which is the biggest challenge in front of all countries.

A huge portion of the health infrastructure would be consumed or occupied by the students which otherwise can be used for the citizens. It must sound ridicules to say but as the classes are running online and students need not to stay in the campuses unnecessarily. And a business tycoon like Donald Trump knows it well. That’s why he planned to force evacuation of the foreign students. I think every government would be compelled to do that due to limited resources and increasing cases of Corona virus.

All decisions so far taken by President Trump are critiqued by his opponent. Some of them were reversed by judiciary as well. Let us examine few of them to understand what and how he thinks for welfare of his country and really sticking to his tag line “Let’s make America great again”.

Reduction of H1B work visa: Imagine a government paying unemployment allowances to its own residents and paying millions to migrants. This situation will someday lead to big unrest similar to Black life matters riots. Many incidents where Indian, Afro-Americans or Chinese people are attacked and murdered too. So, employing own people must be priority of every government. If they lack in some special skills than only migrants should be allowed and every country must endorse this policy.

Withdrawing from War Zones of Middle-East and Asia: Trump took over when world was passing through economic slowdown. Every war eats away huge portion of your GDP. Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria were costly affairs at the time when you are unable to pay allowances to your senior citizens. So, it’s always better to put own house in order rather setting it on fire. So, indeed this was great move to not interfere in regional conflicts.

Doubling Crude oil Production: After taking over White House in 2016 Trump ordered to double its oil productions. US was buying crude from Arab countries selling to Afro-Asian countries. Advent of Solar energy and phasing out of diesel and petrol vehicle with electric ones, future for fossil fuel is dull. Sitting on huge oil reserves would be a big waste, Trump smelled it timely and doubled its production capacity. We have recently witnessed the negative prices of per barrel of crude oil.

Trade Curbs on China: Putting trade curbs on China was wise thing as global manufacturing has been outsourced to China in Obama regime. Re-establishing it as manufacturing super power is possible only when you put curbs on supplies from China. All big US brands have their manufacturing units in China. Dependency on China proven wrong in coronavirus outbreak from Wuhan.

Construction of wall at Mexico borders: When your exchequer is all time low. Paying unemployment allowances to your citizens, it’s no wisdom to make your country a refuge centre. People coming from India, China or other Asian countries are allowed with due process, they are not unwanted/illegal guests. On the contrary they are the biggest contributors of the GDP.

Putting aside world leadership: Withdrawal of troops from war zones of Asia and Middle-east countries means you are no more in position or mood to retain it at the top of the world. When the house is not in order, economy hits rock-bottom then it is advisable to strengthen country. Trump did the same and paved way for people like Prime minister Narendra Modi to take centre stage for time being. India has never been an aggressive country being a matured democracy.

If we critically analyse above points, Trump deserves another term at White House. While America is going to elections by year end, attempts to dislodge Trump are getting fierce. Black life matters riots are evident to it. One unfortunate event of police brutality burned American cities. Forces behind these riots have no sympathies for America but they simply want Trump to go and they can return to their agenda to disturb and disintegrate USA which is federation of 50 states.

It’s up to US citizens who will be voting for a re-election of Donald Trump who is a great visionary in my opinion or returning to radicalise America and policies of Barak Obama which witnessed increase of radical Muslim population in US and its repercussions via recent riots.

Image Credits: The Week