Student activists and an international‑student op‑ed at the University of California say the system has failed to protect thousands of international students amid contract bargaining and federal immigration actions. The piece cites bargaining over protections from ICE collaboration, legal defense funds and speech guarantees as central unresolved issues prompting a strike authorization among campus workers. Those campus pressures come as national data show new student visas plunged 35.6% last summer, a drop that colleges warn will reduce enrollments, campus diversity and revenue. Administrators and advocates say the twin pressures — weakened institutional supports and falling visa issuance — could accelerate enrollment declines and heighten legal and financial risks for research universities dependent on global talent. Higher education leaders seeking to stabilize international recruitment will need clearer institutional policies, legal protections and federal engagement to reverse the downturn in visa issuance and restore confidence among overseas applicants.