US Moves to Revoke Visas of Chinese Students Aggressively

Rubio says Chinese students with ties to CCP and sensitive fields will face scrutiny; Trump’s administration targets foreign student presence.

May 29, 2025: The United States plans to “aggressively” revoke visas for Chinese students, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced, escalating the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten scrutiny of foreign students in American universities.

Rubio said that the crackdown would focus on students with connections to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) or those pursuing critical fields of study. “We will also intensify our scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong,” he added in a statement.

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China was the second largest source of international students in the US in 2024, following India. When asked for a response, China’s Foreign Ministry did not immediately comment.

This latest move follows Rubio’s order a day earlier for US embassies worldwide to halt interviews for student visa applicants as the administration considers stricter vetting of social media profiles. The move is part of President Donald Trump’s broader effort to limit foreign student admissions, citing national security concerns.

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The White House’s clash with American universities began with accusations of antisemitism at elite schools like Harvard and Columbia. It has since expanded into a wider attack on foreign student presence — a critical source of funding for many institutions.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang noted that while scrutiny is increasing, America’s commitment to attracting global talent remains unchanged. “For those who want to contribute and make a difference, we want to welcome them,” he told Bloomberg Television.

Earlier on Wednesday, Trump proposed that Harvard cap foreign student enrollment at 15%, intensifying his push for changes at top institutions. Rubio has indicated that visa revocations are already “probably in the thousands,” emphasizing that “a visa’s not a right — it’s a privilege.”

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International students made up 5.9% of the nearly 19 million students in US higher education in 2023-2024, with India and China accounting for half of the 1.1 million foreign students, per the Institute of International Education.

The number of Chinese students in the US has dropped by 4% to about 277,000 as tensions rise between the two countries. The FBI has warned that China seeks to exploit “America’s deeply held culture of openness on university campuses.”

The visa crackdown aligns with broader efforts by the State Department to curb foreign entry as part of the administration’s tough stance on immigration. Rubio also announced fresh visa restrictions on foreign officials accused of censoring Americans and targeting US tech firms.

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US-China relations, Marco Rubio, Donald Trump, Chinese students, US visas, international students, education, national security