Burmese international students raised their voices following the win of President Donald Trump at the 2024 Elections Nov. 5. 

Myanmar Student Union representatives Martin Tun and MeMe Hlaing Oo expressed their thoughts regarding the concerns being raised by members of their organization as well as other international students in Skyline College. 

Conversations about asylum seekers sprouted even before the election, but they intensified after the victory of both Trump and the majority of the Republican parties in the House of the Representatives and the Senate.

Cris Ramon, senior advisor for Unidos US, claimed–in a New York Times news analysis on October 28–that the consensus to restrict asylum access will remain no matter who wins or loses in the election.

Tun and Hlaing Oo explained the concerns that most Burmese and other international students have regarding immigration, specifically, those who are applying for asylum status or those covered by the Temporary Protection Status (TPS). 

“After the election and considering the anti-immigration policies of [the] Trump administration, I don’t know [what will happen to] my case and other similar cases… I’m worried about that,” Hlaing Oo said.

Hlaing Oo recalled how it was difficult for her to decide to apply for asylum and how she wanted to go home and be with her family because of the challenges of living in the United States.

“I don’t think it is safe for me to go back… so it is safer for me to seek asylum,” Hlaing Oo said. 

She emphasized how the danger, political situation, military coup and the atrocities of the military leaders have had real impacts on Myanmar which have prevented Burmese asylum seekers like her from being able to return to the country.

“You can get recruited into the military but in most cases, we’re likely to either be used as human shields or forced to murder your own people or be forced laborers and stuff,” Tun said.

He expounded how seeking asylum status can be forced by the economic conditions as international students are paying huge amounts of tuition every year as well as trying to survive while paying for their rent, bills, and other expenses.

“There is a stigma around seeking asylum,” Hlaing Oo supported. “At least in our community there is also this fear that you will be deported if you openly talk about it.”

Hlaing Oo also elaborated that this stigma is tied in with the fear of embarrassment that is coincided with applying for asylum. Socio-economic factors like not being able to afford tuition and commodities have a negative image.

“We have to normalize talking about the asylum status,” she added.

Additionally, Hlaing Oo and Tun also discussed how international students are concerned about the Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 

As per the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, TPS is given to countries with ongoing armed conflict, an environmental disaster or epidemic and other temporary conditions.

Hlaing Oo elaborated that there are Burmese students and other international students who are under TPS that are concerned about the future of their status.

Tun explained that this fear is due to the attempt of the Trump administration to abolish TPS in 2020 which affected many countries.

Tun talked about how people think the Burmese students are taking advantage of the asylum status [and TPS] to be US citizens and using it as a loophole to stay in the US but he clarified that the political and military conflicts are the real reason for TPS.

Furthermore, Hlaing Oo and Tun discussed how international students need more programs about getting a work permit and more help in terms of resources such as groceries and scholarships.

“Financial aids are for residents and scholarships are for everyone even if you are non-citizen,” Hlaing Oo clarified.

She further explained that the international students need more support in terms of financial and legal advice specifically catered for non-citizens and non-residents.

Tun also addressed the concerns raised by the students about the programs and events in school, following the election.

“In terms of programs, the lack of urgency to really address our struggles is also coming to the fact that the school is usually and consistently reluctant to address political aspects of things,” Tun stated. “Post-election, there was an event on campus… and it’s called [Post] Election Fatigue Fair and it explicitly says that it is an apolitical event.”

He explained that some students express their concern about it and emphasized that the school should address the political situations in Burma especially with the international student program and at least be aware of why the students are pursuing asylum.

Hlaing Oo and Tun encourages the students to come together to address the different issues, help each other know their rights and to join in community building.