President Trump is ending a program that allows international students from certain countries to work more hours and take fewer courses than they are usually allowed to.
President Trump has allowed Special Student Relief (SSR) waivers to lapse for students from Hong Kong, Ukraine, Sudan and 12 other countries and territories since he took office last year.
Lebanese students are the last group covered under the relief, and their designation is scheduled to lapse on May 27.
“The quiet elimination of SSR adds to the growing list of barriers facing international students on US campuses and will particularly affect those from refugee and displaced backgrounds,” Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration Director of Refugee Student Initiatives Laura Wagner said in a statement this week.
But the end of SSR may not have a large impact at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
Omar, a graduate student at U of I who asked to be referred to by his first name because he is afraid speaking out will affect job opportunities, said he had heard of SSR but did not consider using it because he did not want to delay his graduation.
“I don’t want to take more time to do that, so I’m taking the required courses and everything,” Omar said.
His parents live in Beirut, a city Israel has bombed multiple times as part of its fight against the militant group Hezbollah.
“During those days, I have to stay on my phone checking up with my parents, so I cannot do much work,” he said.
For him, the more important federal policy change would be to stop the war in Lebanon.
“It’s kind of like you’re spraying the freeze stuff for the pain on your leg when your arm is actually hurt,” said fellow grad student Chris, who also asked to be referred to by last name out of a fear of retaliation.
For Chris, the pain for students is having to navigate immigration rules. For example, he noted winners of Fulbright grants have to return to their home countries after completing their studies, and it is hard to waive that requirement regardless of the danger they might face there.
U of I’s International Student and Scholar Services Assistant Provost Martin McFarlane said SSR has been “very, very rarely used by any student from the qualifying countries.”
In spring 2025, 120 U of I graduate and undergraduate students hailed from countries covered by SSR. This spring, there were 126 students from those same countries, despite the rollback of the relief.
U of I can do more itself to help international students dealing with the trauma of war, according to Salaam Middle East and North Africa Cultural Center Director Awad Awad. He has struggled himself to find therapists who have a Middle East or North African background and understand the multiple generations of trauma he and students at the center carry.
“We at Salaam can use a lot more resources if it’s available. I’m the only full-timer here. Having an associate director will really go a long way,” Awad said.
He said it helps stduents heal when they have a place to gather.
“It can look like watching a soccer game, healing through community, because they themselves acknowledge each other’s pain, whereas the majority of campus may not.”