I was born in Seoul, South Korea. I am residing in the United States on a F-1 visa, which allows me to enter the country to pursue academic studies. Being an international student meant much less to me under the previous administration. Despite some struggles in cultural assimilation, I mostly felt welcome in America, an alleged “melting pot of cultures.” America is often referred to as the land of opportunities, wherein, regardless of your immigration status, you are welcome to pursue your dreams and contribute to the country. That was the America I anticipated when entering Phillips Academy last fall. Under the current administration, however, being international feels like a major disadvantage. As an international student, an anti-Trump post on Instagram, one wrong move at an anti-Israeli protest, or even writing this commentary article can function as an excuse for the government to deport me from this country. The simple need we have forgotten to embrace is that everyone residing in the United States, regardless of their immigration status or political stances, must have the right to speak up for our beliefs and feel safe to call this country our second home.
Since Donald J. Trump’s inauguration in January, deportation has crowded news headlines across major media sites. Around 48,000 people are under U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention as of April 9, 2025, and about 190,000 individuals are currently being monitored by the government agency. The Trump administration’s main argument for the deportations is that the deported individuals have entered the United States illegally and thus do not deserve to be in this country. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, has repeatedly argued that entering the United States is a “privilege” and that illegal immigrants are a threat to the security of American citizens. In contrast to their arguments, according to the New York Times, immigration officials have attempted to arrest Yunseo Chung, a legal permanent resident and a student at Columbia University, for participating in pro-Palestinian protests. Similarly, according to CNN, Tufts University doctoral candidate Rümeysa Öztürk was handcuffed by ICE officers for speaking up for Palestine. Many American citizens have also received emails from ICE threatening them to leave the country (due to logistical errors), which testifies to how clumsily and ineptly the deportation processes are functioning under the Trump administration.
Freedom is dead. Freedom remains dead. And the politics today have killed her. At the core of democracy lies our freedom of speech. Healthy politics revolves around the people’s capacity to constructively criticize federal policies, and it should not be upon any government to manipulate the voices of its people. Freedom of speech and media reinforced the checks and balances system that prevented political corruption and instability. The history of ideological oppression from the McCarthyism era (in which political repression of left-wing individuals thrived) and the Immigration Act of 1918 (wherein “undesirable” aliens were deported) has polluted America. Political incentives of the Trump administration have resulted in the minorities and the underrepresented shying away from voicing their thoughts that are crucial to building the diverse national identity of the United States. Ironically, deporting legal immigrants testifies to the incompetence of the current administration, as the deportations alert people that the government is incapable of accepting criticism and improving its policies without such harsh, unjustified measures.
Deportation based on individuals’ political stances is the worst form of ideological oppression. Unlike other similar forms of oppression, such as censoring the media and spreading false news, deportations completely shatter immigrants’ lives and those of their families. International students and immigrants have arrived in this country with their individual aspirations and goals. Deporting us to silence our unique voices not only destroys our lives but also ruins the diversity on which America was built. Especially for immigrants from developing countries who have come to the States to financially support their families and escape the oppression in their own countries, deportation may result in life-threatening dangers or severe financial struggles. The current administration has been built on the murder of the efforts of immigrants – our wishes, our desires, our futures.
According to the State Of The Academy 2024 conducted by The Phillipian, around 16.5 percent of Phillips Academy students come from countries around the globe. Many of us joke about being deported, yet under the sheath of humor lies genuine fear. The very real threat of
deportation strikes us every time we consider uploading political content on social media, read a news article about yet another deported legal immigrant, and receive emails from school, concerning how Trump’s policies may affect us. We are not demand
ing too much; as students who have left our home countries with many aspirations, we simply hope to feel safe in this country we love and care about. Even if you are not an international student, consider speaking up for the people you love. The deportation of legal immigrants influences not merely the deported, but also shackles the fundamental value of freedom itself for everyone in America. In times packed with fear and anxiety, Andover must unite as a student body to voice for the underrepresented. As Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States, said in the 2004 DNC convention, “It is that fundamental belief: I am my brothers’ keeper. I am my sisters’ keeper, that makes this country work.”
Editor’s Note: The Phillipian has temporarily removed the byline at this time to protect the privacy of the author.
