Photo courtesy of International Students Program, Antelope Valley College
The election of President-Elect Donald Trump has prompted a wave of mixed emotions among SAU’s international students. For many, the outcome represents uncertainty about their futures and the global implications of U.S. policies.
Maria Luiza Garuba Coelho, a multimedia journalism student from Brazil, shared her disappointment and fear. “Honestly, very scared and disappointed. As much as I knew that [Trump winning] could be a possible scenario, I had hoped things could have gone differently.” Garuba Coelho specifically expressed concerns about immigration and human rights.
“To start off, the elected president has made several statements throughout the years threatening human rights, promoting hate speech towards black people, the LGBTQ community, women, and many other minorities, so I am definitely concerned about how these next four years will look.
“Besides that, being an international student from Brazil, I worry about my future here in the country. The elected president is openly against immigration coming from Latin America, and the fact that he said he wants to launch the largest deportation program in American history just makes me worry about how hard he will make it for us foreigners even with a VISA to stay in the country.”
Nuria Montouto, an elementary education student from Madrid, Spain, echoed similar sentiments. “I didn’t like the results at all. I think Kamala Harris was a better candidate and that she was going to take care of the economy and social issues much better than Trump. I can’t believe a person like Trump can be selected as a president, not only because of the hypocritical and incoherent things he says about people and situations but also because of who he is as a person.”
Montouto criticized several of Trump’s policies and views. “I don’t like his ideas about abortion, the concept he has about women, his gun policy, and all the things he said about bombing different parts of the world. It seems like he just cares about the economy but not about society.”
She also expressed concerns about the global repercussions of his presidency. “I feel that Trump as a president can affect the whole world, not only the United States, so I hope he doesn’t commit any more crimes during his presidency.”
For Sofia Pabon, a Puerto Rican student, the result of the election was deeply personal and concerning. “Being Puerto Rican, the result of this election scares me,” she shared. “Some people don’t realize Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States even though we speak Spanish and have a different culture.
“Trump has been disrespectful to Puerto Ricans when he was president, wishing he was able to sell Puerto Rico for a piece of Greenland because we were poor, and he also cut FEMA funds when the island was hit by Hurricane Maria. These past actions and the recent action of calling Puerto Rico a floating piece of garbage just worries me because what will happen these next years?”’
Hesham Goodman, an international business and marketing student from Madagascar, reflected on the global implications of Trump’s mix of concern and curiosity. As someone from Madagascar, I know that decisions made in the
U.S. can influence policies worldwide, especially in areas like climate and trade. When I see uncertainty around whether the U.S. will stay committed to global sustainability goals, it makes me question what impact that will have on Madagascar’s environment and economy.”
Goodman voiced specific worries about environmental policies. “What worries me most is the possibility that the U.S. might withdraw from agreements on sustainability, which could lead to reduced international support for environmental conservation. Madagascar, with its unique biodiversity, relies heavily on global cooperation to combat issues like deforestation and climate change.”
These reflections highlight the wide-ranging concerns of international students at St. Ambrose University regarding the potential impacts of U.S. leadership on immigration, human rights, global relations, and environmental policies. Their perspectives emphasize the interconnectedness of domestic and global issues.
Dora De La Cruz is a staff writer for The Buzz.
