United States to Intensify Chinese Student Visa Cancellations, affirms Secretary of State Marco Rubio
The United States is preparing to revoke visas for an undisclosed number of Chinese students, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday. This move, which is expected to heighten the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and universities over international students, comes amid a series of policy changes that have disrupted campus life and threatened a significant stream of university income.
Rubio stated that the visa revocations will target students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in critical fields, without elaborating on the specific areas of study affected. In a statement, both the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security pledged to intensify visa scrutiny for students from the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong.
California houses the largest number of international students, with more than 140,000 foreign students attending institutions within the state. The Institute of International Education reported that over 50,000 (approximately a third) of these students are Chinese nationals, making them the largest group of international students. USC, in particular, hosts nearly 6,000 Chinese students, making it the institution with the largest international population in the state.
This development follows a litany of policy shifts related to foreign students, which have alarmed students and university leaders. The concerns were further exacerbated when a federal judge temporarily blocked President Trump's order banning international students at Harvard.
Kevin Lu, a Chinese national who graduated from USC with a finance degree in December, expressed disappointment upon hearing Rubio's announcement. Lu, who is currently working on an optional practical training visa, shared his concerns that the revocation may impact his ability to travel internationally.
The efforts by the Trump administration have sent ripples of fear across U.S. campuses, leading some students to leave the country. On Tuesday, the State Department paused scheduling visa interviews for students aiming to study in the United States, citing temporary preparations to increase social media vetting for prospective international students.
The visa revocations also come as higher education grapples with legal challenges. Last week, a California judge issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration's efforts to end the legal status of thousands of international students while their case is under review.
Other technological advancements and economic developments in the United States are reliant on contributions from immigrants, according to S. Jack Hu, the newly selected chancellor of UC Riverside, who was born in China. Hu, who secured a visa to study engineering at the University of Michigan in the 1980s, emphasized that international students contribute to education, economic growth, and the nation as a whole.
- The government's decision to revoke visas for Chinese students, as announced by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, is expected to escalate the ongoing conflict between the Trump administration and universities over international students.
- California, with over 140,000 international students, hosts the largest number of foreign students in the United States.
- USC, in particular, hosts nearly 6,000 Chinese students, making it the institution with the largest international population in the state.
- The visa revocations will target students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in critical fields, according to Rubio's statement.
- Kevin Lu, a Chinese national who graduated from USC with a finance degree, expressed disappointment upon hearing Rubio's announcement, fearing the revocation may impact his ability to travel internationally.
- The State Department's decision to pause scheduling visa interviews for students aiming to study in the United States has sent ripples of fear across U.S. campuses, leading some students to leave the country.
- Last week, a California judge issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration's efforts to end the legal status of thousands of international students while their case is under review.
- S. Jack Hu, the newly selected chancellor of UC Riverside, born in China, emphasized that international students contribute to education, economic growth, and the nation as a whole, citing technological advancements and economic developments in the United States as examples of reliance on contributions from immigrants.
