When Home Feels Uncertain: Mental Health, Visa Crackdowns, and the Emotional Toll on International Students
Cal Poly is one of the latest in a trend of campus crackdowns on visas across the US, these local incidents hit hard—especially for those of us on campus who know and care about international students personally. It’s not just a policy shift. For many, it’s a sudden and terrifying disruption to their lives, education, and sense of belonging. When your future in a country is thrown into question overnight, it’s not just paperwork—it’s panic, isolation, and a mental health crisis waiting to happen.
International students already face a unique set of stressors: culture shock, academic pressure, being thousands of miles from family. But add to that the unpredictability of political decisions—especially ones that feel targeted or dehumanizing—and it creates a constant low-level fear that can snowball into anxiety, depression, and burnout. These students are expected to show up to class like nothing’s wrong, while quietly carrying the weight of “Will I still be here next semester?”
In this kind of environment, therapy isn’t just helpful—it can be a lifeline. Mental health support gives students a place to process that uncertainty and find grounding in the chaos. Therapy offers tools to manage anxiety, unpack trauma, and build resilience in the face of an unpredictable political landscape. It’s also one of the few spaces where students can speak freely without judgment or fear. For international students especially, who might feel pressure to stay silent or stoic, having a confidential and culturally aware space to talk can be transformative.
As policies continue to shift and headlines grow more unnerving, colleges need to do more than just keep up—they need to actively protect the mental and emotional well-being of all students. That includes normalizing therapy, making it accessible regardless of visa status, and standing in real solidarity with those caught in the crosshairs of immigration policy. Because when systems fail, our communities—and our mental health support—have to step up.
