Yellow T-shirts and various protest signs were everywhere at Irvine Newport Beach on Oct. 18. There was a No Kings protest – a nationwide grassroots campaign that supports democracy and rejects authoritarianism. The honking of cars rose and fell with the music, and strangers held up signs to protest together.
At similar political events, foreign citizens and international students are rarely seen because of the huge risks – prosecution, conviction, damage to current and future immigration status and any visa applications. However, after attending this protest, it became clear that international students should approach political life with both caution and moderation. Rather than blindly following any camp, learning about democracy and the vision of citizenship in the country where they are studying abroad with an observational eye is vital.
This protest was not the chaotic scene often painted by national news. Many people were dressed up in cartoon costumes, and some even brought mini speakers to play Taylor Swift songs. There were no quarrels and no police – only citizens standing up for a common belief. That day, there was an epiphany among many international students: Political actions are not always about being loud or in conflict. Sometimes, they are merely about showing up, being seen, and being heard.
But for many international students, such a scene is both strange and intimidating. During my youth, I was often warned not to bring up political topics. It was considered very dangerous and can cause trouble, whether at home or abroad. After President Trump’s re-election, freedom of speech in this nation is not as free as imagined. Hundreds of international students lost their student status due to anti-Semitic accusations or from executive orders targeting immigrants. So out of caution, many international students remained silent. This group believes that silence can ensure safety, yet they don’t realize that silence also distances them from the society they long to integrate into.
But being an international student doesn’t mean staying completely out of a country’s politics. Witnessing how the citizens of their new country express their views through political activities can teach wisdom that textbooks cannot impart. Seeing grassroots political efficacy shows students how to maintain unity amid differences and how ordinary people make a difference. This does not necessarily mean shouting slogans or holding placards: It can also be observing and listening. Many international students pondered who the participants were, why they came there and what expectations they had for their protest. These questions can help people better understand the political culture they are in. Through safe observation, international students can compare how their motherland operates, what behaviors are allowed, and what behaviors are punished.
American-born citizens might regard American politics as irrelevant to temporary international students. But standing by idly also poses risks to an international student’s own citizenship status and future interests. If they do not actively understand the state of the nation they are attending school in, they may be misled by false information and thus miss policy discussions that affect their lives, such as information on visas, tuition fees, and employment. Participating in politics not only makes for better integration but also for personal benefit. Curiosity and knowledge itself are power.
Democracy is not just a political concept but also a lived practice. For international students, studying abroad should not only be about obtaining credits and graduation certificates, but also about understanding the international community. Witnessing this process with their own eyes might just be one of the most important insights to bring back home.
Lynn Lin is an Opinion Intern for the summer 2025 quarter. She can be reached at baoyinl1@uci.edu.
Edited by Isabella Ehring and Emery Ramirez