THE HILL NEWS VERBA VOLANT, SCRIPTA MANENT
VOLUME CXXXV. NO.4
MAY 13, 2026
RECENT VISA POLICY CHANGES CREATE UNEASE AND CONFUSION By ADAM YAO’26 MULTIMEDIA EDITOR
The Trump administration’s recent shifts to visa policy have created an air of uncertainty among both Hill student and faculty, especially those who are visa holders. At Hill, 15% of the student population hail from outside the U.S. from as many as 17 countries. As of September 2025, an employer must now pay international employees $100,0000 to issue them certain new H-1B visas. H-1B visas are a selective, employer-sponsored visa targeting high-level foreign professionals such as software developers,
“Every time I go home now, friends and family ask me just how my life is and how work is because of all the news they’re hearing … they think that if you’re on a work visa in America, then your rights have kind of like vanished.” -Kristopher Donaldson
have selected 85,000 individuals out of approximately 500,000 degree-holding applicants each year through a lottery system.
“For places like Hill, where its identity is around 20% international kids, [this policy] will hurt the school.” —Kristopher Donaldson Recently, however, President Trump has been making efforts to reduce H1B visas’ effect on domestic job market, especially in low-skill work. In March, the Trump administration further muddled the process by introducing the “Trump Gold Card” program, which allowed wealthy foreign nationals to obtain U.S. permanent residency by making a $1 million contribution. The new program marks a variety of strategies implemented by the Trump administration including raising the minimum salary that companies can pay H-1B workers and increasing scrutiny of applications.
engineers, and university professors. Traditionally, H-1B visas
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ecoat from and holds visa. I go friends ask me life is how because the hearson think on a in then rights
like vanished. It’s not true, but I can see why people have that perception with this new administration.” Many potential H-1B holders find the change demoralizing, as with this new fee, most US companies may opt to hire a domestic worker. In fact, Donaldson recalled a conversation that if the same cost applied to current H-1B holders, it may have been difficult for him to stay at Hill. Kris The new fee may also play a Donald- role in determining the salary son, a of the H-1B visa holder. Since current companies spend so much money nomics on getting the worker into the teacher U.S., that cost almost certainly Hill, is reduces the worker’s paychecks. Jamaica While a change in workforce currently demographic will likely be seen an H-1B over the next few years, whether “Every time that change is truly positive is up home now, for debate. Donaldson expressed and family his belief that “for places like Hill, just how my where its identity is around 20% and international kids, it will hurt the school.” work is While these sweeping changes of all have a chance to upset the lives news they’re of those that seek work in the ing,” Donald- U.S., many find it also difficult said. “They to secure political redress. “At that if you’re the end of the day, countries can work visa do what they want. If the U.S. America, wants to set this precedent or set your this policy, it’s well within their have rights,” Donaldson said. “From kind my personal side, if I’m taking of the econ teacher hat off, I think it is kind of demeaning and unfair. One bad apple shouldn’t spoil the
whole bunch.” All of these massive changes may seem intimidating to current international students hoping to one day work in the U.S. “I think policy can change really quickly, especially with the Trump administration ending, and I’m also only a senior in high school,” Colin Wang ‘26 mentioned, citing the uncertainty which comes with the unpredictability of H-1B visa changes. Nonetheless, Donaldson insists on remaining hopeful, especially for international students that may be sharing his unease and frustrations. “I want them to know that there are avenues, even if the news might make it seem like it’s all lost hope,” Donaldson said. “I hope Ms. Qiu and I can both serve as testaments that it can be done. It just takes a while and if you really want to be here and work here, it’s worth it in the end.”
“I think policy can change really quickly, especially with the Trump administration ending, and I’m also only a senior in high school,” —Collin Wang ’26 ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN QIU ’26
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