Penn Global and International Student and Scholar Services hosted a legal panel webinar to discuss the impacts of recent immigration policies on Thursday.
The May 15 webinar — titled "Navigating Visa, Port of Entry, and Travel Challenges in 2025" — drew over 100 attendees from across the Penn community. ISSS executive director Dr. Rudie Altamirano moderated the discussion of visa statuses and safety protocols between immigration lawyers Elise Fialkowski and Karen Pollins.
The discussion began with an outline of the recent changes in visa processing and interview procedures. Fialkowski described the "global wait times" for visa processing as "unusual," explaining that the updated times are "not refreshed as frequently" as they used to be. The panelists also highlighted that changes — including the rollback of interview waiver eligibility — will likely increase processing times and impact students who previously benefited from streamlined procedures.
Fialkowski emphasized the most important components of a visa interview, encouraging students to bring the correct documents, clearly articulate the purpose of their travel, and closely follow ISSS guidelines.
"I really cannot stress enough that preparation is key,” Fialkowski said. “You are your own advocate at the consulate, and you need to be prepared. The visa interview is likely two minutes. That is it."
Fialkowski explained that students should be mindful when demonstrating ties to their home country. Pollins added that "personal, professional, [and] financial ties" to one's home country — such as community involvement — are taken into consideration when granting visas.
The panel also discussed the increased scrutiny of applicants' digital presences, noting that even minor online activity can trigger additional vetting.
“We’re certainly advising people to be very careful about what they are posting, sharing, and liking online,” Pollins said. “Just keep in mind that they have a very expansive view of what is adverse to current administration policy.”
"Anything that can be viewed ... as contrary to the administration" can cause "concern" for visa applicants, Fialkowski said.
Pollins noted the U.S. government's "broad access" to social media profiles — including private accounts — and advised listeners to "consider limiting or temporarily suspending" information that displays "where you are and what you're doing."
She continued that "now is the time to scale ... back" posts about the federal government. Even if the account is private, Fialkowski urged students not to "assume [they're] safe."
Customs and Border Patrol searches of electronic devices at ports of entry are also steadily increasing, putting the data stored on devices at a greater risk of examination.
"It is important to be aware that they can ... look at your devices," Pollins said. "Just understand, they have this authority ... they want to see what you’re bringing into the country.”
The panelists' suggestions for safeguarding personal data included using "clean" devices with only "essential data" and disabling automatic cloud downloads.
The webinar comes a month after The Daily Pennsylvanian reported that eight Penn affiliates had either their visa or immigration status revoked by April 17. Penn first learned of the changes to the students’ immigration statuses through a check of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, an online database managed by the Department of Homeland Security that tracks the records of international students studying in the United States, according to ISSS.
A University spokesperson later confirmed that seven of the affiliates — including one undergraduate student, five graduate students, and one alumnus on a sponsored visa — had their SEVIS records terminated. An additional Penn affiliate had their visa revoked by the Department of State. As of April 27, all seven SEVIS profiles had been restored and updated from “Terminated” to “Active.”
Pollins described the uncertainty of the impacts of SEVIS terminations as the "biggest confusion," because although a student's academic standing may remain unaffected, they may no longer be "in status."
Legal efforts and advocacy have helped reinstate student records, which Fialkowski described as "good news" and a "win on litigation." The panelists emphasized the importance of staying informed and using University officials as resources.
"Don't hesitate to reach out to ISSS for further guidance, and remember, you're not alone in this process," Altamirano said. "We as a community at Penn are here to support you every step of the way."
