As Saint Lucia remains largely silent on the sweeping freeze of US student visa interview appointments—an action placing the academic futures of many in limbo—youth leader Ajani Lebourne is calling on the country to reduce its dependence on American institutions and chart a more independent course.
“We have to build our own autonomy so that our people are not always reliant on the US to access opportunities,” the development specialist and former interim chairperson of the Saint Lucia National Youth Council told St Lucia Times.
Over the past few weeks, the sudden shift in US student visa policy has sent ripples through global education, especially for international students. Yet, in Saint Lucia, where the US remains a favoured destination for study and work, the reaction has been quiet.
In late May, the Trump administration dropped a bombshell: a directive pausing all new student visa interview appointments at US embassies worldwide. A diplomatic cable reportedly stated: “Effective immediately… consular sections should not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M, and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.” The reason? An expansion of social media screening and vetting procedures.
The freeze comes at an especially inconvenient time. Early June typically marks a peak period when students formalise travel and documentation for fall semester enrolment. But with no end date announced, uncertainty looms. On June 3, a State Department spokesperson offered little reassurance, saying the pause would last only “a matter of days”, just enough time for consular offices to get “prepared”.
The fallout is real, even for American organisations like The Fund for American Studies, which brings hundreds of international students to Washington each year for internships in journalism, public policy and the corporate sector.
And with foreign students contributing an estimated $44 billion to the US economy in the 2023-2024 academic year, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators – the world’s largest non-profit association dedicated to international education and exchange – the administration’s decision may prove costly.
In Saint Lucia, US tertiary education remains an aspiration for many. Dozens of scholarships listed on the government’s training division website facilitate access to American institutions. As recently as this week, representatives from US universities were in Castries courting applicants.
“Any restriction makes it difficult for many young people who perhaps may not have had the opportunity to enrol at Sir Arthur Lewis [Community College] and are probably looking to gain scholarships into the US,” said Lebourne.
He told St Lucia Times that the disruption presents an opportunity for reflection.
Many are opting for silent reflection. Attempts to engage foreign ministry representatives, recent US graduates and prospective students were met with polite refusals or non-responses, with some citing caution amid the current global political climate.
Observers say the visa policy changes are part of a broader effort by President Trump to reassert immigration control, particularly within academic spaces. During his first term, the Trump administration expanded applicant scrutiny, including mandatory social media screenings, a practice continued under the Biden administration. However, more recent escalations have targeted students involved in last spring’s pro-Palestinian protests on US campuses.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on May 20, drew a direct line between student activism and visa tightening: “If you tell me that you’re coming to the United States to lead campus crusades, to take over libraries, and try to burn down buildings… we’re not going to give you a visa.”
Lebourne says given the political climate and Saint Lucia’s own socio-economic realities, it’s understandable why many here choose self-preservation over public debate. But for him, silence isn’t the answer.
“The truth is we exist in a globalised environment, which means whatever happens in the international community affects us in one way or the other…. We need to really think through how our country can be a lot more competitive in the global environment… not necessarily with the US, but with other regions,” he said.
He advocates for greater youth engagement with international issues and a more diversified vision of opportunity.
“It’s a conversation that has not been happening in youth spaces… we’re not encouraging, particularly among youth leaders, perspectives that see beyond just our borders…. We should always encourage our young people to think big, see what’s happening elsewhere, and just think of solutions that we ourselves can create to address those challenges.”
He points to successful educational collaborations with Taiwan, Cuba, Morocco, and other South-South partners as evidence that Saint Lucia can and should pursue alternatives to US-centric models.
Still, he acknowledges that fear, especially among the youth, is real and valid.
“It’s a reflection on the wider society where I think we’ve lost a lot of that part of our culture – solidarity, collectivism, community…. People are afraid of victimisation. The job market is not as expansive. Opportunities are scarce…. When people are economically disempowered, socially disempowered, they’re not driven to challenge the system.”
He posed a final question for the country’s policymakers and thinkers: “In the midst of what’s happening in the US, and the US becoming a lot more insular, what are we doing here to insulate ourselves?”
