US to begin revoking visas of ‘Chinese' students, says Secretary of State Marco Rubio

Indian Express

2 days ago

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday announced that the Trump administration will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in 'critical fields.'
In a post on X, Rubio, said, 'The US will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.'
The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 28, 2025
The announcement follows a series of actions this week, adding to the growing uncertainty for international students, who are already facing mounting pressure under the Trump administration. This move is certain to intensify anxiety for Chinese students in the US, and spur recriminations in China.
This isn't the first time a crackdown has been ordered against Chinese students. In 2020, officials during the first Trump administration decided to cancel the visas of thousands of Chinese graduate students and researchers who had direct ties to military universities in China.
China sends the second-largest group of international students to the United States, and many universities rely on Chinese and other international students paying full tuition for a substantial part of their annual revenue.
A report published by the State Department and the Institute of International Education, a nonprofit group, revealed that the total number of international students at US colleges and universities reached an all-time high of more than 1.1 million (1,126,690) international students in 2023/2024, a 7% increase from the previous academic year.
China, followed by India, accounted for the second-largest share of these students enrolled in American higher education institutions during the 2023–24 term.
In a related move, Rubio also announced that the State Department will impose new visa restrictions on foreign officials and individuals accused of censoring Americans abroad.
'It is unacceptable for foreign officials to issue or threaten arrest warrants on US citizens or US residents for social media posts on American platforms while physically present on US soil,' he said in a statement.
He added that 'it is similarly unacceptable for foreign officials to demand that American tech platforms adopt global content moderation policies or engage in censorship activity that reaches beyond their authority and into the United States.'
In the most recent crackdown against Harvard, US President Donald Trump proposed a cap on foreign students at Harvard, asking the Ivy League to limit its foreign students intake to 15 per cent.
The administration further plans to cancel all remaining contracts with Harvard University, worth about $100 million, according to a letter seen by The New York Times. Trump also threatened to cut three billion dollars of grant money to Harvard, and and giving it to trade schools.
The clampdown on Harvard follows an earlier decision by the administration to revoke Harvard University's ability to enrol international students, accusing it of perpetuating an 'unsafe' campus environment for Jews, promoting 'pro-Hamas sympathies', and employing 'racial' diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
(With inputs from New York Times)