American students have strong opinions on how Donald Trump’s presidency will affect the United States, but the question rises as to what this means for immigrants, international students and the rest of the world.
The world is on hold right now, said Mohamed Daadaoui, associate professor of political science.
“Everyone is watching with a lot of anxiety because the president-elect has made a lot of comments affecting relationships globally with China, wanting to engage constructively with Russia and wanting to scale back on the Middle East but also wanting to bomb ISIS,” he said. “The world is very anxious right now. We’ve seen sort of a global rise of nationalism. We can see it in the Philippines and with the Brexit in Great Britain and now here in the U.S. ”
The president has the power to implement and initiate foreign policy with congressional approval on spending and finalizing trade agreements.
“I don’t see this Congress stopping his policy because I think they will largely agree. There will be very limited checks and balances on foreign policy, and I predict a honeymoon phase between the president and Congress,” Daadaoui said. “Right-wing conservative countries are jubilant that the U.S., which has such a strong sway in Western values has chosen a conservative, extremist candidate. We see this with Russians cheering and, of course, Marine Le Pen, who is the head of the National Front, the conservative party in France, was the first to congratulate Trump.”
The university has a diverse population of students from across the world who will be affected differently than American students.
Alison Fan, a music theater freshman from China, said Trump’s presidency could affect non-American students who want to stay in the country after they graduate. She also said it was sad to see the election tear friendships apart.
“Instead of actually debating one another, I saw more rage and bashing on others for not supporting what someone believes is the right thing to do,” Fan said.
Victoria Erhardt, a music theater senior from Canada, said her home country could be affected greatly.
“It’s not fair to Canada because it doesn’t recognize how it impacts the American-Canadian system. Seventy-two percent of our exports are to America, and now that deal is being threatened and that is terrifying to our economy,” she said. “Canada is being so edgy and progressive right now and I’m scared this is going to set us back.”
Petar Djurdjevic, a finance sophomore from Serbia, believes his home country will be affected differently.
“Well I don’t know about other international students, but in Serbia, people think that Trump is better option for president cause his international policy benefits my country in some way,” he said. “I don’t know a lot about it, but if I could I would probably vote for Trump as well.”
Michael Vercoe-Curtis, a mass communications senior from New Zealand, is still waiting to see how the election will affect his country.
“I feel like the rest of the world is sort of laughing at America. I know New Zealand thinks ‘oh this is a joke, he doesn’t have any experience.’ America wanted a change and this will be a change, whether that is good or bad, I don’t really know. Right now our prime minister has said he’s going to stop the TPP, but that’s okay with me,” he said. “I know if he continues to be as conservative as he is, New Zealand will cut ties with the U.S. and so the U.S. won’t protect us. If North Korea or China locks on New Zealand, our country will really be in trouble.”
International students are also worried that this election may affect their ability to become citizens.
“I feel like people who run immigration don’t know what the life of an immigrant is like,” said Franziska Harms, acting junior.
Harms was born in Germany to two German parents. She said she has been in the process of becoming a citizen for the past eight years despite living in the U.S. her whole life.
“This makes me understand how someone would come over to the country illegally,” she said. “This is the first time I’m questioning whether or not I want to become an American citizen. I feel like leaving would be a sense of abandonment, but at the same time this isn’t really my home.”
Harms said she also feels her ability to protest is limited.
“I can’t speak up the way I want to. If I go to a protest and end up getting arrested, it would be really bad for me as an immigrant and could end up jeopardizing my chance of becoming a citizen,” she said.
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