A 20‑year‑old forward who had risen through the ranks of St. Clair County Community College and then transferred to Cleary University found herself behind bars in Michigan this spring. The detention, carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, sent shockwaves across campus and into national headlines.
A Journey From Venezuela to Detroit
Perdomo’s flight from Venezuela began at age 15, when she was physically assaulted by a political group that forced her family to seek refuge. After presenting herself at the U.S. border near El Paso, she was reunited with her mother, Liliana Gotopo, in Detroit, where she completed high school at Western International High School in 2023 and earned a scholarship to play soccer at Cleary.
Her teammates describe her as a natural leader, a diligent student and a friend who brightens the locker room. Yet behind the on‑field camaraderie lies a precarious legal status that was shaken when ICE moved to detain her, citing an ongoing immigration case that had been stalled for months.
Policy Shifts That Reshape Opportunity
The detention is not an isolated incident. In the summer of 2025 the State Department delayed all student‑visa processing for a month to implement a new social‑media vetting system, a move that created confusion and fear among prospective scholars. The resulting backlog cut new‑student enrollment by 17 percent and produced a 36 percent drop in a common visa category, according to data from the Institute of International Education.
University leaders are speaking out. Cleary University President Alan Drimmer issued a statement expressing deep concern for Perdomo’s well‑being and for the broader implications for international students. Experts warn that the cumulative effect of visa delays, heightened vetting and the perception of risk is eroding the United States’ appeal, while countries such as China intensify efforts to attract the same talent.
The ripple extends beyond a single campus. The Michigan Association of State Universities, the University of Michigan and other institutions have joined NAFSA: Association of International Educators in urging federal officials to restore timely visa processing. Meanwhile, the broader narrative of competition for global students is reshaping enrollment strategies across the continent.