CGTN Poll | Nearly 90% of respondents lament shattered 'American dream' amid Trump's crackdown on universities

The U.S. government's series of executive orders targeting the admission of international students by universities continues to cause a strong stir in international public opinion. A survey conducted by CGTN shows that 82.1 percent of respondents strongly condemned the U.S. for its serious violation of academic freedom. Nearly 90 percent of respondents voiced concern that these actions have shattered the "American dream" for countless international students.

The U.S. government has ordered its embassies and consulates abroad to suspend student visa interviews and is considering monitoring international students' social media accounts. A total of 81.3 percent of respondents strongly oppose this, viewing it as a serious violation of students' personal privacy, filled with prejudice and discrimination against international students. In addition, the U.S. has also arbitrarily canceled Chinese students' visas under the pretext of so-called ideological differences and national security, prompting widespread criticism. According to the survey, 83 percent of respondents believe this move seriously harms the legitimate rights of Chinese students and creates unjust barriers to people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

In fact, the current U.S. administration has repeatedly wielded the "political stick" against university campuses. It previously launched investigations into more than 60 universities and suspended their federal funding. Since March, it has demanded that Harvard University shut down its diversity, equity and inclusion programs, reduce the authority of its administrators, and reform its admissions standards. After Harvard refused to comply, the government froze $2.2 billion in funding and $60 million in contract payments.

In the survey, 82.5 percent of respondents criticized the Trump administration for abusing state power to exert extreme pressure and retaliate against social institutions; 82.5 percent of respondents stated that these executive orders have severely shaken the foundation of the U.S. higher education system, undermining the independence, academic freedom and freedom of speech; and 88.9 percent supported the idea that American universities should use legal means to protect their own and their students' legitimate rights.

The U.S. government's political crackdown on universities has left hundreds of thousands of international students feeling helpless, anxious and unsettled. Some students and their parents have started turning to countries such as the UK, France, Canada, Australia, Singapore, and the Hong Kong region of China. A professional international education consultant stated that many families are genuinely concerned about their children's safety in the U.S. and even more worried about whether their children will continue to be welcomed there.

In the survey, 86.7 percent of respondents believed that the U.S. government's policies and statements targeting universities and international students have seriously damaged the reputation of American higher education institutions and their appeal to international students, inevitably weakening the United States' global competitiveness in science and education. A total of 88.5 percent of respondents believe that the U.S. restrictions are driven by obvious political motives and run counter to its proclaimed values of "freedom and openness." They argue that those actions have severely damaged the U.S.'s international image and credibility, shattering the "American dream" for countless international students.

The survey was published on CGTN's English, Spanish, French, Arabic and Russian platforms, with 6886 overseas netizens participating and sharing their views within 24 hours.