US to Revoke Visas of Several Chinese Students

WASHINGTON DC, THURSDAY - Under the administration of United States President Donald Trump, the fate of international students has become increasingly uncertain. After halting the scheduling of visa interviews for international students, Washington plans to revoke the student visas of Chinese students studying in certain fields or those deemed to be associated with the Communist Party of China.

After India, China is the second largest sender of international students to the United States. During the 2023-2024 academic year, there are more than 270,000 international students from China, accounting for a quarter of all foreign students in the United States.

"Under President Trump's leadership, the U.S. Department of State will collaborate with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with ties to the Communist Party of China or studying in critical fields," wrote U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday (28/5/2025) local time or Thursday (29/5/2025) WIB.

Rubio continued, the government will also "revise visa criteria to enhance oversight of all upcoming visa applications from the People's Republic of China and Hong Kong."

Since 2019, visa applicants have been required to provide their social media accounts to the Department of State. It is not yet clear what additional monitoring will be conducted.

Rubio's announcement was made in conjunction with increased scrutiny of the relationship between higher education in the US and China. A few hours before Rubio's announcement, Eastern Michigan University stated that it would terminate its engineering partnership with two Chinese campuses.

So far, members of the DPR from the Republican Party have been actively urging U.S. campuses to sever ties with Chinese universities. In addition to Eastern Michigan University, they have also pressured Duke University and other universities regarding collaborative research with Chinese institutions.

Last week, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem accused Harvard University of "collaborating with the Chinese Communist Party" in conducting collaborative research. The department alleged that Harvard was training members of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, a Chinese paramilitary group.

The announcement of the visa revocation also came a day after Rubio suspended new visa interviews for international students and prepared social media screening guidelines for study visa applicants to combat anti-Semitism. Earlier this year, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement also attempted to deport students involved in protests against the Hamas-Israel war.

The number of international students in the United States is recorded at 1.1 million in 2024. They are an important source of revenue for colleges that rely on tuition fees. International students are not eligible for federal financial aid, which often results in them paying full tuition fees.

Trump, on Wednesday (28/5/2025), stated that the number of foreign students at Harvard should be "reduced" to around 15 percent. Currently, approximately 27 percent of students at Harvard are international students.

"I want to ensure that foreign students are individuals who can love our country," said Trump to reporters in the Oval Office.

Last week, the Trump administration attempted to block Harvard University from accepting international students from anywhere, as the prestigious campus was deemed a hotbed of liberalism and antisemitism. A federal judge has postponed Trump's decision. However, Trump has cut federal grants by more than 2.6 billion US dollars for Harvard.

A spokesperson for Northeastern University, Renata Nyul, stated that the campus has prepared an "emergency plan" for those experiencing visa delays. Northeastern University has more than 20,000 international students.

"This is a very dynamic situation, and we are closely monitoring its developments in real-time to assess its potential impacts," said Nyul.

Vladyslav Plyaka, a student at the University of Wisconsin, plans to meet his mother and renew his visa in Poland. However, he does not know when this can happen as the visa interview appointments have been postponed.

"I feel that I do not have enough trust in the current system. I understand that this may be done for security measures, but I might complete my education over the next two or three years and then return to Ukraine," said Plyaka.

Trump's decision regarding Chinese students marks the latest step by the US government to curb academic relations between the US and China. The Republican Party argues that these relations pose a threat to national security.

In addition to obstructing various collaborative research efforts, Trump has ordered the Department of Education to enforce the implementation of federal regulations regarding research funding. Higher education institutions must disclose information about funding from foreign sources.

During Trump's first term, the Department of Education conducted 19 investigations into foreign funding at U.S. universities. The investigations found that these campuses did not report funds flowing in from China, Russia, and other countries considered foreign adversaries.

Jonathan Friedman from PEN America, a literary and free expression organization, argued that additional scrutiny would deter students from coming to the United States.

"The details are still unclear, but this policy risks upending the long-standing position of the United States as a center for intellectual and cultural exchange with the world," said Friedman.

NAFSA CEO Fanta Aw added that the uncertainty surrounding the suspension of visa interview appointments will damage the reputation of the United States. NAFSA is an association that represents international educators.

"Students and international scholars are extraordinary assets that contribute to the United States' excellence in innovation, research, and economic strength. Undermining their ability to learn here is a self-defeating action," said Aw. (AP/AFP)