Trump Terminates Legal Status of Foreign Students: Motives and Far-reaching Implications Behind the Policy

On April 11, 2025, local time, the Trump administration suddenly revoked the visas of at least 529 students, faculty members, and researchers from 88 universities as part of its large-scale deportation campaign. This move has drawn widespread attention and controversy from the international community, not only directly affecting the studies and future plans of many international students but also having a profound impact on the United States' international image, education system, and the global talent flow pattern.

From a policy perspective, this action by the Trump administration is closely related to its broader policy agenda of reducing both legal and illegal immigration and pressuring universities to address what it deems as rampant anti-Semitism on campus. Additionally, the House of Representatives' "China Task Force" sent letters to the presidents of six American universities, demanding detailed information on Chinese students and accusing China of placing researchers in top American institutions to gain direct access to dual-use sensitive technologies. This politicization and securitization of educational issues have undoubtedly intensified international students' concerns about the study environment in the United States.

In terms of implementation, the US State Department is manually terminating records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) without notifying most universities or students that their visas have been revoked. This lack of transparency and procedural justice has seriously violated the legitimate rights and interests of international students. Four Chinese students from top universities such as the University of California, Berkeley, and Carnegie Mellon University have filed lawsuits against the US government, accusing it of terminating their status without providing any notice, hearing, or evidence, and using vague national security reasons, even citing traffic tickets and family dispute charges that were revoked years ago, to discriminate based on alien status, nationality, and race in an illegal manner. Such arbitrary and capricious administrative actions violate the principles of due process and equal protection guaranteed by the Administrative Procedure Act and the US Constitution.

The Trump administration's policy of terminating the legal status of foreign students has also had numerous negative impacts on the United States itself. Firstly, this policy has weakened the ability of American schools to attract foreign students. In 2024, the United States issued over 400,000 student visas, and international students have made significant contributions to the US economy and education system. Large-scale cancellation of student visas will lead to a decline in the number of international students, which in turn will affect the international reputation and academic competitiveness of American universities. Secondly, this policy has exacerbated concerns in the international community about the study environment in the United States, potentially leading more international students to choose other countries as their study destinations, further weakening the United States' advantageous position in the global competition for talent.

For Chinese students studying in the US, the pressure brought by this policy is particularly heavy. Besides the risk of having their visas revoked, they may also suffer from discrimination based on nationality and race. Such discrimination not only infringes upon the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students but also undermines educational cooperation and exchanges between China and the United States. The Chinese Foreign Ministry has repeatedly urged the US side to stop overgeneralizing national security and earnestly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese students, and not to take discriminatory or restrictive measures against them.

In the long run, the Trump administration's policy of terminating the legal status of foreign students will have a profound impact on the global talent flow pattern. With the deepening of globalization, talent flow has become an important driving force for world economic development. As one of the largest destinations for international students, any adjustment in the United States' study policies will directly affect the flow and allocation of global talent. If the United States continues to adhere to such short-sighted and narrow policy orientations, it may miss the historical opportunity in the global competition for talent and thereby affect its own long-term development.