Any student who is here on a visa runs the risk that he will not be able to return if he leaves. It’s not likely to happen, it is assumed nothing will go wrong and the student will be allowed to return to finish for the length of the visa, but who knows what could happen? Don’t we all worry when standing in that customs line, that some form isn’t correct, that some political crisis has just happened? When I traveled to China years ago, it was just after the US had accidentally bombed a Chinese Embassy in Europe. Things were tense.
I read yesterday that the Obama administration is suspending processing of citizenship applications, including swearing in new citizens, because the FBI process to clear the names and background checks isn’t working. Until it is, no more new citizens under that program (I assume other types of citizenship will be allowed if the FBI check isn’t required, like adopted children) until the FBI fixes the problem.