"There’s not really a loophole."
Arshia Esmaeilian had dreamed of coming to America as long as he could remember.
Esmaeilian and his brother were born in Iran but raised in Dubai, their parents believing the move could pave a more direct path to higher education in the West.
And it did. Esmaeilian graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry last month from the University of South Florida, a major step toward a career in research.
“In terms of quality of education it’s exactly what I wanted,” he said. “If anything, it kind of exceeded it.”
And now, weeks after walking the stage, he may be forced to leave.
After a string of unprecedented White House orders banning travel to and from countries the U.S. deems a threat, students like Esmaeilian are stuck in limbo. Following graduation, they’re at risk of detention or deportation if their visas expire.
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