Now that dream has become history. Currently, I am considered a national security threat and could become the fifth columnist from my home country. If you return home, as required under the Fulbright Rule, there is a very real possibility that you will be arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Approximately 150 Russian academics are on the same boat. More than 30 people will lose their legal right to stay in the United States within a month.
After Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Kremlin particularly cracked down on opposition from abroad. Many international NGOs have closed, including the Institute of International Education (IIE), which administers the Fulbright program. The organization was subsequently labeled an “undesirable organization” and Fulbright students were at risk of being imprisoned for their association with the organization.Furthermore, we Because we receive scholarships from foreign governments, we may now be considered “foreign agents.” This will significantly limit our ability to work and operate freely in Russia.
Instead of being recognized as cultural ambassadors upon their return, they could be denied employment or worse, imprisoned because of their ties to the U.S. State Department. The Fulbright program, designed to promote mutual understanding and cooperation between nations, has become mandatory.
Some of our allies are activists who have joined protests, human rights organizations, and the LGBTQ+ rights movement. Some, like me, participated in anti-war protests.
Before embarking on my Fulbright trip in 2021, I volunteered at Navalny’s headquarters in Rostov-on-Don, near the border with Ukraine, to promote democratic values and fight corruption in Russia. Dedicated. But just as I was settling into my studies in the United States, the Russian government designated opposition leader Alexei Navalny and his organization as “extremists.” The government is now actively seeking to prosecute anyone associated with them, whether coordinators or volunteers, with penalties of up to 15 years in prison.
Nevertheless, I wanted to return to Russia and improve the education system. Then Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine began. In a desperate attempt to raise awareness about the war, I created a poster that read: “Putin is Hitler. Putin is Hitler.” Let’s stop the war,” he said, standing for hours in Syracuse’s University Square, aware that thousands of people had been detained in Russia for expressing similar anti-war sentiments. I also organized an open letter campaign against the war with over 100 fellow Russian Fulbrighters at home and abroad. Meanwhile, the Russian government introduced strict censorship laws, punishing dissent and further suppressing freedom of expression. It is forbidden to even call the war a “war”. It must be a “special military operation.”
LGBTQ+ Fulbright activists face additional risks after the Russian government recently added the LGBTQ+ movement to its list of extremists. They too could face prison sentences for this. The frigid climate was exacerbated by Navalny’s death in a prison colony in February, sending a brutal message about the consequences of dissent.
The cloud of suspicion surrounding Russia’s Fulbright scholars has reached a critical mass. The head of Russia’s foreign intelligence service recently called Russians who graduated from U.S. exchange programs a “core element of the fifth column” that could “motivate” the U.S. to intervene in Russia’s elections. he suggested. These accusations left us feeling dark about our future academic and professional pursuits. And of course we face threats on social media. Many of us fear a return to a country where citizens share information with each other, reminiscent of the Stalinist era. Yet, our J1 exchange visa requires you to do just that.
Last month, the IIE recognized the new “undesirable” status and proposed four options for those who do not wish to return. It is also possible to “go to a third country as a civilian.” Try getting a new sponsor for your J1 visa. Apply for post-degree academic training. Alternatively, you can apply for another status to legally remain in the United States after completing the program. All of these options require multiple steps and long lead times. (Currently, the waiting time to apply for an exemption from the home residency requirement is 16 months.)
Our situation calls for a more urgent and coordinated response. We asked the State Department and Congress to help us address the catch-22 of being deported to a country that views us as traitors because of who we are. The State Department cannot extend our visas, that is at the discretion of the Department of Homeland Security, but we can advocate for a Special Immigrant Visa that waives the home residency requirement and allows us to remain in the U.S. after the fellowship ends. .
Like many of my Fulbright colleagues, my intention was always to return to Russia and become a force for good. But the country I once called home now considers me a security threat. The danger we face in Russia is to deny the government, which brought us here through no fault of our own, a blanket exemption for all Fulbright Scholars and a path to a green card. We are looking for an important lifeline.
