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The Hindu
05-06-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
As U.S. pauses new visa interviews, why international students matter
The U.S. has paused scheduling of new visa interviews globally and expanded its vetting of accounts of foreign students on social media. This is the latest move in a series of intrusive measures carried out by the Donald Trump administration targeting international students and premier universities in the U.S. This decision comes days after the administration tried to block the University of Harvard from enrolling international students. Only a month ago, the government targeted several U.S. universities, accusing them of fostering anti-Semitism. Earlier this year, the government also revoked thousands of international student visas with barely any notice. The administration claims that the move is part of wide-ranging efforts to limit immigration. Data indicate that it could have a significant impact on U.S. universities and the U.S. economy. The Open Doors International students' data shows that the U.S. hosted an all-time high of more than 1.1 million international students in 2023-2024, a 6.6% increase from the previous year. Students from India and China together formed more than 50% of all international students U.S. last year (Chart 1). Chart 1 | The number of international students to the U.S. in the 2016-17 to 2023-24 period A Data Point article published last month found that the number of student visas issued to Indians by the U.S. dropped by 30% in February 2025, the first month of the second Trump administration, compared to the same month the previous year. This decline was much higher than the overall decrease in student visas granted by the U.S. to all countries combined. On May 28, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with 'connections' to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. Data shows that international students from India and China are engaged in key science and research fields and contribute significantly to the U.S. economy. They also formed the highest share among international students who applied for Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students. This allows eligible F-1 international students with STEM degrees to gain additional work experience in the U.S. and work for an employer (Chart 2). Chart 2 | Country-wise number of student exchange programme records with authorisations to participate in STEM OPT They also remained the top countries of origin of temporary visa holders earning U.S. research doctorates in science and engineering. In 2023, close to 6,000 temporary visa holders from China and 2,583 from India earned U.S. research doctorates (Chart 3). Chart 3 | Top countries of origin of temporary visa holders earning U.S. research doctorates in science and engineering They also formed a high share of foreign-born graduates working in science and engineering (S&E) fields and S&E-related fields in the U.S. in 2023. Indians formed the highest share, compared to other foreign-born graduates, across S&E and S&E-related occupations (Chart 4). Chart 4 | Employed foreign-born college graduates by broad field of occupation in 2023 In general, international students form a key share among enrolments of master's and doctoral students in the fields of science, engineering and health (Chart 5). Chart 5 | Enrollment of master's and doctoral students in science, engineering, and health fields by citizenship NAFSA's economic value analysis shows that international students brought in $43.8 billion to the U.S economy in 2023 through tuition fees, and spending on housing and living (Chart 6). Their estimates also show that international students helped create and support lakhs of jobs in the U.S. Chart 6 | Economic benefits of international student enrolment to the U.S. (Values in $ billion) A research paper titled 'Immigrant Entrepreneurs and U.S. Billion-dollar companies' noted that 143 billion-dollar start-up companies in the U.S. have a founder who came to the U.S. first as an international student. Also, 174 international students became founders or co-founders of U.S billion-dollar companies. The data for the charts were sourced from Open Doors, NAFSA, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCES), and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement The NAFSA's International Student Economic Value Tool defines economic value as the amount of money that international students studying at U.S. colleges and universities collectively bring into the U.S to pay for their education and to support themselves while they (and in some cases, their families) are there in the U.S. sambavi.p@
Scoop
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Deporting Dissent: The Dangerous Precedent Set By The Persecution Of Pro-Palestine Activists
While US activists advocating for justice in Palestine deserve unwavering support and defense for their profound courage and humanity, Americans must also recognize that they, and the remnants of their democracy, are equally at risk. 'Rights are granted to those who align with power,' Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, eloquently wrote from his cell. This poignant statement came soon after a judge ruled that the government had met the legal threshold to deport the young activist on the nebulous ground of 'foreign policy'. 'For the poor, for people of color, for those who resist injustice, rights are but words written on water,' Khalil further lamented. The plight of this young man, whose sole transgression appears to be his participation in the nationwide mobilization to halt the Israeli genocide in Gaza, should terrify all Americans. This concern should extend even to those who are not inclined to join any political movement and possess no particular sympathy for – or detailed knowledge of – the extent of the Israeli atrocities in Gaza, or the United States' role in bankrolling this devastating conflict. The perplexing nature of the case against Khalil, like those against other student activists, including Turkish visa holder Rümeysa Öztürk, starkly indicates that the issue is purely political. Its singular aim appears to be the silencing of dissenting political voices. Judge Jamee E. Comans, who concurred with the Trump Administration's decision to deport Khalil, cited 'foreign policy' in an uncritical acceptance of the language employed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio had previously written to the court, citing 'potentially serious foreign policy consequences' stemming from Khalil's actions, which he characterized as participation in 'disruptive activities' and 'anti-Semitic protests'. The latter accusation has become the reflexive rejoinder to any form of criticism leveled against Israel, a tactic prevalent even long before the current catastrophic genocide in Gaza. Those who might argue that US citizens remain unaffected by the widespread US government crackdowns on freedom of expression must reconsider. On April 14, the government decided to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to the University of Harvard. Beyond the potential weakening of educational institutions and their impact on numerous Americans, these financial measures also coincide with a rapidly accelerating and alarming trend of targeting dissenting voices within the US, reaching unprecedented extents. On April 14, Massachusetts immigration lawyer Nicole Micheroni, a US citizen, publicly disclosed receiving a message from the Department of Homeland Security requesting her self-deportation. Furthermore, new oppressive bills are under consideration in Congress, granting the Department of Treasury expansive measures to shut down community organizations, charities, and similar entities under various pretenses and without adhering to standard constitutional legal procedures. Many readily conclude that these measures reflect Israel's profound influence on US domestic politics and the significant ability of the Israel lobby in Washington DC to interfere with the very democratic fabric of the US, whose Constitution's First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and assembly. While there is much truth in that conclusion, the narrative extends beyond the complexities of the Israel-Palestine issue. For many years, individuals, predominantly academics, who championed Palestinian rights were subjected to trials or even deported, based on 'secret evidence'. This essentially involved a legal practice that amalgamated various acts, such as the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) and the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), among others, to silence those critical of US foreign policy. Although some civil rights groups in the US challenged the selective application of law to stifle dissent, the matter hardly ignited a nationwide conversation regarding the authorities' violations of fundamental democratic norms, such as due process (Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments). Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, however, much of that legal apparatus was applied to all Americans in the form of the PATRIOT Act. This legislation broadened the government's authority to employ surveillance, including electronic communications, and other intrusive measures. Subsequently, it became widely known that even social media platforms were integrated into government surveillance efforts. Recent reports have even suggested that the government mandated social media screening for all U.S. visa applicants who have traveled to the Gaza Strip since January 1, 2007. In pursuing these actions, the US government is effectively replicating some of the draconian measures imposed by Israel on the Palestinians. The crucial distinction, based on historical experience, is that these measures tend to undergo continuous evolution, establishing legal precedents that swiftly apply to all Americans and further compromise their already deteriorating democracy. Americans are already grappling with their perception of their democratic institutions, with a disturbingly high number of 72 percent, according to a Pew Research Center survey in April 2024, believing that US democracy is no longer a good example for other countries to follow. The situation has only worsened in the past year. While US activists advocating for justice in Palestine deserve unwavering support and defense for their profound courage and humanity, Americans must also recognize that they, and the remnants of their democracy, are equally at risk. 'Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere,' is the timeless quote associated with Abraham Lincoln. Yet, every day that Mahmoud Khalil and others spend in their cells, awaiting deportation, stands as the starkest violation of that very sentiment. Americans must not permit this injustice to persist. – Dr. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of six books. His latest book, co-edited with Ilan Pappé, is ' Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out'. His other books include 'My Father was a Freedom Fighter' and 'The Last Earth'. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA). His website is
Scoop
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Deporting Dissent: The Dangerous Precedent Set By The Persecution Of Pro-Palestine Activists
"Rights are granted to those who align with power," Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student, eloquently wrote from his cell. This poignant statement came soon after a judge ruled that the government had met the legal threshold to deport the young activist on the nebulous ground of "foreign policy". "For the poor, for people of color, for those who resist injustice, rights are but words written on water," Khalil further lamented. The plight of this young man, whose sole transgression appears to be his participation in the nationwide mobilization to halt the Israeli genocide in Gaza, should terrify all Americans. This concern should extend even to those who are not inclined to join any political movement and possess no particular sympathy for - or detailed knowledge of - the extent of the Israeli atrocities in Gaza, or the United States' role in bankrolling this devastating conflict. The perplexing nature of the case against Khalil, like those against other student activists, including Turkish visa holder Rümeysa Öztürk, starkly indicates that the issue is purely political. Its singular aim appears to be the silencing of dissenting political voices. Judge Jamee E. Comans, who concurred with the Trump Administration's decision to deport Khalil, cited "foreign policy" in an uncritical acceptance of the language employed by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Rubio had previously written to the court, citing"potentially serious foreign policy consequences" stemming from Khalil's actions, which he characterized as participation in "disruptive activities" and "anti-Semitic protests". The latter accusation has become the reflexive rejoinder to any form of criticism leveled against Israel, a tactic prevalent even long before the current catastrophic genocide in Gaza. Those who might argue that US citizens remain unaffected by the widespread US government crackdowns on freedom of expression must reconsider. On April 14, the government decided to freeze $2.2 billion in federal funding to the University of Harvard. Beyond the potential weakening of educational institutions and their impact on numerous Americans, these financial measures also coincide with a rapidly accelerating and alarming trend of targeting dissenting voices within the US, reaching unprecedented extents. On April 14, Massachusetts immigration lawyer Nicole Micheroni, a US citizen, publicly disclosed receiving a message from the Department of Homeland Security requesting her self-deportation. Furthermore, new oppressive bills are under consideration in Congress, granting the Department of Treasury expansive measures to shut down community organizations, charities, and similar entities under various pretenses and without adhering to standard constitutional legal procedures. Many readily conclude that these measures reflect Israel's profound influence on US domestic politics and the significant ability of the Israel lobby in Washington DC to interfere with the very democratic fabric of the US, whose Constitution's First Amendment guarantees freedom of speech and assembly. While there is much truth in that conclusion, the narrative extends beyond the complexities of the Israel-Palestine issue. For many years, individuals, predominantly academics, who championed Palestinian rights were subjected to trials or even deported, based on "secret evidence". This essentially involved a legal practice that amalgamated various acts, such as the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) and the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), among others, to silence those critical of US foreign policy. Although some civil rights groups in the US challenged the selective application of law to stifle dissent, the matter hardly ignited a nationwide conversation regarding the authorities' violations of fundamental democratic norms, such as due process (Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments). Following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, however, much of that legal apparatus was applied to all Americans in the form of the PATRIOT Act. This legislation broadened the government's authority to employ surveillance, including electronic communications, and other intrusive measures. Subsequently, it became widely known that even social media platforms were integrated into government surveillance efforts. Recent reports have even suggested that the government mandated social media screening for all U.S. visa applicants who have traveled to the Gaza Strip since January 1, 2007. In pursuing these actions, the US government is effectively replicating some of the draconian measures imposed by Israel on the Palestinians. The crucial distinction, based on historical experience, is that these measures tend to undergo continuous evolution, establishing legal precedents that swiftly apply to all Americans and further compromise their already deteriorating democracy. Americans are already grappling with their perception of their democratic institutions, with a disturbingly high number of 72 percent, according to a Pew Research Center survey in April 2024, believing that US democracy is no longer a good example for other countries to follow. The situation has only worsened in the past year. While US activists advocating for justice in Palestine deserve unwavering support and defense for their profound courage and humanity, Americans must also recognize that they, and the remnants of their democracy, are equally at risk. "Our defense is in the preservation of the spirit which prizes liberty as the heritage of all men, in all lands, everywhere," is the timeless quote associated with Abraham Lincoln. Yet, every day that Mahmoud Khalil and others spend in their cells, awaiting deportation, stands as the starkest violation of that very sentiment. Americans must not permit this injustice to persist. - Dr. Ramzy Baroud is a journalist, author and the Editor of The Palestine Chronicle. He is the author of six books. His latest book, co-edited with Ilan Pappé, is ' Our Vision for Liberation: Engaged Palestinian Leaders and Intellectuals Speak Out'. His other books include 'My Father was a Freedom Fighter' and 'The Last Earth'. Baroud is a Non-resident Senior Research Fellow at the Center for Islam and Global Affairs (CIGA). His website is
