Trump's New 'Aggressive' Visa Plan May Affect Over 3 Lakh Chinese Students

The Trump administration's plan to "aggressively revoke visas" may imperil the academic future of over three lakh Chinese students, a group that's long been the backbone of American university revenue.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States would terminate visas for "Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields." The directive follows a blanket suspension of all Chinese student and exchange visa appointments worldwide.

During the 2023-24 academic year, China sent 277,398 students to the US, the second-largest group after India. With such a massive number, the policy could significantly disrupt international enrollments, not just for Chinese students but also for Indian aspirants who now top the chart.

A cable signed by Rubio instructed US embassies and consulates to halt all new student visa appointments "until further guidance is issued," linking the pause to increased scrutiny of applicants' social media profiles as part of a broader national security review.

Rubio added the administration would tighten visa criteria for applicants from both mainland China and Hong Kong, raising concerns among students and academic institutions alike.

The announcement drew sharp criticism from China, with Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning urging Washington to "safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of international students."

Rubio also recently boasted of cancelling thousands of visas, primarily those of international students involved in activism critical of Israel.

The Trump administration has also targeted Ivy League universities like Harvard, accusing them of resisting oversight on faculty hiring and admissions. Donald Trump has alleged that Harvard fosters "woke" ideology and antisemitism, leading to a temporary freeze on federal research funding. In response, Harvard filed legal challenges, and a judge paused the enforcement of an order that would have barred foreign students from campus.

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said, "We are going to continue to vet. Whether you are a student or a tourist who needs a visa, we will be looking at you."

She added the goal was to ensure that visitors understood US laws, had no criminal intent, and were "going to be contributors to the experience here."

She said that the system aimed to determine "who deserves to visit this country and who does not."

With Indian students now topping the chart of international enrollments, the decision to freeze student visa interviews is also expected to hit Indian applicants hard, especially those planning to begin their programs this fall.