They dreamed of studying in the US. Trump’s visa policies have forced them to look elsewhere

A teacher instructs students in a classroom in India. CNN New Delhi —

For decades, families in India have dedicated years and much of their finances toward a singular goal: getting their children a degree from a US university. Despite the hefty cost – often bore in staggering loans – the risk was palatable because the reward was likely a career launchpad that no other country in the world could offer.

But seismic policy shifts under President Donald Trump – from his recently announced $100,000 fee for H-1B work visas to his administration’s tightening scrutiny on international students and immigration crackdown – have many of those students and their families questioning that longstanding thinking.

Avi, an 18-year-old from India’s Bihar state, said he had a nearly full schola