![Undergraduate students at the University of Southern California, preparing to graduate in May last year, pose for photos in front of the school’s iconic “Traveler” statue on the campus quad.[Sangjin Kim, The Korea Daily]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/0128-dream-1.jpg)
[Sangjin Kim, The Korea Daily]
The moment they set foot in the United States, the American Dream once felt attainable to anyone willing to work for it. However, the American Dream fading has become a growing reality for many immigrants and international students who now struggle to find a legal path to remain in the country.
That was the case for Lee Jung-gil, 27, a pseudonym used to protect his identity. Lee studied economics at a university in the Los Angeles area. He envisioned himself becoming a financial analyst and building a career on Wall Street. Therefore, after graduation, he planned to stay in the United States and gain professional experience.
That plan unraveled after the launch of the second Donald Trump administration, as visa regulations tightened sharply. Lee said companies he met during his job search imposed one condition without exception: applicants had to be permanent residents. As a result, he said he had no realistic options left and abandoned the dream he once pursued in the United States.
Visa rules tighten, opportunities shrink
Over the past year, tougher visa and immigration policies have brought an end to the American Dream for many. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), about 3 million undocumented immigrants have left the United States since the start of Trump’s second term. The National Korean American Service and Education Consortium (NAKASEC) estimates that about 200 of them were Korean nationals.
In addition, student visa rejection rates have surged. NAKASEC reported that the rejection rate recently reached 40 percent. Of roughly 40,000 student visa applications filed by Koreans, about 13,000 were denied.
Youngwoon Han, organizing director for NAKASEC, said inquiries are rising from F-1 students who were legally staying in the U.S. but suddenly received notices that their SEVIS records had been terminated. He noted that such cases were rare in the past.
Expanded scrutiny and enforcement
At the same time, stricter standards are being applied across the immigration system. These include tighter naturalization reviews, expanded consideration of citizenship revocation, neighborhood inquiries during green card screening, and closer scrutiny of public benefit use. Previously limited criteria are now being enforced simultaneously.
Han warned that immigration decisions increasingly depend on individual officers’ discretion. He compared the system to traffic enforcement, where outcomes can vary widely. Therefore, he said the process carries structural risks, including human error and emotional judgment.
Heightened enforcement and arrests have also hit local economies. In Los Angeles’ Santee Alley garment district, many stores have closed, leaving once-busy streets nearly empty. The area has long served as a foundation for first-generation Korean immigrants pursuing economic stability.
The same trend is visible across the Fashion District, where businesses now shutter their doors even during daytime hours. Daejung Yoon, community coalition director at the Korean Immigrant Workers Alliance (KIWA), said many immigrant families are living in fear. As a result, they avoid not only workplaces but also parks and routine outings.
![As federal enforcement and arrests intensified, the garment district was hit hard, with many businesses shuttered and streets left largely deserted. [Sangjin Kim, The Korea Daily]](https://www.koreadailyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/0128-dream-2.jpg)
Young immigrants face the steepest barriers
These policy shifts have proven especially damaging for younger generations just beginning to chase the American Dream. The H-1B work visa has been restructured to favor high-wage, highly skilled workers, raising the bar significantly. Even applicants earning $100,000 annually can be rejected.
For years, many international students followed a pathway from student visas to work visas and eventually permanent residency. However, that route is rapidly narrowing.
Sunmin Kim, a sociology professor at Dartmouth College, said Korean immigrants since the 1990s often settled in the U.S. after arriving as students. Now, he said, recent graduates largely believe they have little chance of staying.
Hae Sagong, a nursing professor at Auburn University, added that immigration risk has become a constant factor. She said the once-common optimism of “going first and figuring it out later” is no longer viable.
The American Dream is no longer a dream anyone can claim. Opportunities are disappearing, and young people who hoped to stay are quietly packing their bags. The landscape has fundamentally changed.
BY HANKIL KANG [kang.hankil@koreadaily.com]
