From Myanmar to Michigan: How Trump's Travel Ban Derailed a Student's American Dream
The first time Patrick Thaw saw his University of Michigan friends together since sophomore year ended was a bittersweet moment. They were starting a new semester in Ann Arbor, while he was FaceTiming in from Singapore, stranded half a world away.
One day last June he was interviewing to renew his U.S. student visa, and the next his world was turned upside down by President Donald Trump's travel ban on people from 12 countries, including Thaw's native Myanmar.
"If I knew it was going to go down this badly, I wouldn't have left the United States," he said of his decision to leave Michigan for a summer internship in Singapore.
Administrative Hurdles for International Students
The ban was one of several ways the Trump administration made life harder for international students during his first year back in the White House. These included:
- A significant pause in visa appointments at embassies and consulates worldwide
- Additional layers of security vetting and documentation requirements
- Contributing factors to a noticeable dip in foreign enrollment for first-time students
While new students had to look elsewhere for education opportunities, the hurdles made life particularly complicated for those like Thaw who were well into their U.S. college careers.
University Responses and Flexible Solutions
Universities across America have had to develop increasingly flexible solutions to support affected students, according to Sarah Spreitzer, assistant vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education.
"Institutions are bringing back pandemic-era remote learning arrangements and offering admission to international campuses they partner with," Spreitzer explained.
In Thaw's specific case, a Michigan administrator highlighted studying abroad as a potential option. As long as the travel ban remained in place, a program in Australia seemed viable—at least initially.
Life in Limbo: Singapore Stasis
In the meantime, Thaw didn't have much to do in Singapore but wait. He made some friends, but they were busy with school or jobs. After his internship ended, he killed time by:
- Constantly checking his email for updates
- Taking long, contemplative walks around the city
- Eating out frequently while contemplating his next move
"Mentally, I'm back in Ann Arbor," the 21-year-old neuroscience major said. "But physically, I'm trapped in Singapore."
A Promising Start in Michigan
When Thaw arrived in Ann Arbor in 2023, he threw himself into campus life with remarkable enthusiasm. He immediately meshed with his dorm roommate's group of friends and joined both a biology fraternity and an Alzheimer's research lab.
His intellectual curiosity pushed him to explore a wide range of courses, including a Jewish studies class. The professor, Cara Rock-Singer, said Thaw told her his interest stemmed from reading the works of Philip Roth.
"I really work to make it a place where everyone feels not only comfortable, but invested in contributing," Rock-Singer said. "But Patrick did not need nudging. He was always there to think and take risks."
From Myanmar to America: A Lifelong Dream
Thaw's U.S. college dream had been a lifetime in the making but was undone—at least temporarily—by one trip abroad. As a child, he set his sights on attending an American university, a desire that became more urgent as higher education opportunities dwindled after civil war broke out in Myanmar.
For a time, tensions were so high that Thaw and his mother took shifts watching to make sure the bamboo in their front yard didn't erupt in flames from Molotov cocktails. Once, he was late for an algebra exam because a bomb exploded in front of his house.
So when he was accepted to the University of Michigan after applying to colleges "around the clock," Thaw was understandably elated.
"The moment I landed in the United States, like, set foot, I was like, this is it," Thaw recalled. "This is where I begin my new life."
The Broader Impact on International Education
During the 2024-25 school year, the U.S. hosted nearly 1.2 million international students. As of summer 2024, more than 1,400 people from Myanmar had American student visas, making it one of the top-represented countries among those hit by the travel ban.
A Michigan official said the school recognizes the challenges facing some international students and is committed to ensuring they have all the support and options it can provide. The university declined to comment specifically on Thaw's situation.
Moving Forward: New Educational Horizons
While the study abroad program in Australia sparked some hope that Thaw could stay enrolled at Michigan, uncertainty around the travel ban and visa obstacles ultimately led him to decide against it.
"I cannot just wait for the travel ban to just end and get lifted and go back, because that's going to be an indefinite amount of time," he explained.
He started applying to colleges outside the U.S., receiving acceptance letters from schools in Australia and Canada. He is holding out hope of attending the University of Toronto, which would put his friends in Ann Arbor just a four-hour drive away.
Allison Voto, one of Thaw's Michigan friends, emphasized their enduring connection: "If he comes anywhere near me, basically on the continent of North America, I'm going to go see him. I mean, he's Patrick, you know? That's absolutely worth it."
The story of Patrick Thaw represents just one of many international students whose American educational aspirations have been disrupted by shifting immigration policies, highlighting the human impact behind political decisions affecting global academic mobility.
