WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States will begin “aggressively” revoking visas for Chinese students, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced, in a move that could significantly affect American universities and the tech industry.
The crackdown will target students with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or those studying in sensitive academic fields.
Rubio said the State Department will also revise its visa criteria to increase scrutiny of applicants from China and Hong Kong.
“The U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” Rubio said in a statement.
The decision marks the latest escalation in the Trump administration’s hardline immigration push and comes amid deepening tensions between Washington and Beijing.
The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.
Blow to U.S. Schools and Tech
If widely implemented, the policy could disrupt a major revenue stream for U.S. universities and limit access to international talent in critical research and technology sectors.
In 2023, international students contributed over $50 billion to the U.S. economy, with China and India together accounting for more than half, according to the Department of Commerce.
Chinese enrollment in U.S. institutions has already declined from a peak of 370,000 in 2019 to about 277,000 in 2024.
Tensions over espionage, intellectual property theft, and the pandemic have all contributed to the drop.
Many Chinese students, typically from affluent families, have historically chosen the U.S. for its academic reputation and opportunities to remain and work after graduation.
The new policy may accelerate a shift toward universities in Europe and lead more Chinese graduates to return home.
Beijing Protests
China’s foreign ministry condemned the move Thursday and said it had lodged formal protests with Washington.
Chinese students with offers from U.S. universities voiced despair at the announcement.
The ministry vowed to “firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests” of Chinese students overseas — echoing its response after the Trump administration moved to bar Harvard University from enrolling foreign students, a measure temporarily blocked by a U.S. judge.
Security Concerns
The administration has increasingly cited national security risks associated with Chinese students and academic institutions.
Last week, officials pointed to Harvard’s alleged ties to China as part of the justification for halting its foreign student enrollments.
Washington has expressed concerns that Beijing exploits open research environments in U.S. universities to bypass export controls and conduct espionage.
During Trump’s first term, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo led efforts to shut down Confucius Institutes, cultural centers funded by the Chinese government, which were accused of spreading propaganda and recruiting informants.
Yaqiu Wang, a U.S.-based human rights researcher who herself came to the U.S. as a Chinese student, acknowledged the threat of Chinese government abuses but warned against sweeping measures.
“Broad revocations and blanket bans would not only jeopardize the rights and livelihoods of Chinese students studying and working in the U.S., but also risk undermining America’s long-standing position as the global leader in scientific innovation,” she said.
Reuters reported that the State Department had halted all new appointments for foreign student and exchange visitor visa applicants, citing an internal cable.
The Trump administration has also expanded social media vetting and is pushing to increase deportations.
