Universities: US considers "actively" revoking Chinese student visas

This is the latest measure taken by the US administration as part of its offensive against universities, particularly targeting Harvard, which is holding its annual graduation ceremony on Thursday. The US government will "actively revoke visas for Chinese students, particularly those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in sensitive fields," US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement.

"We will also review the criteria to strengthen the examination of all future visa applications from China and Hong Kong," added the Secretary of State.

277,000 Chinese students in the United States

More than 277,000 Chinese students were enrolled in American universities for the 2023-2024 academic year, surpassed only by Indian students—for the first time in years—according to a report approved by the State Department. Chinese students represent one of the most important sources of revenue for universities in the United States.

Since returning to the White House in January, Donald Trump has launched a massive campaign against universities, accusing them of spreading a "woke" ideology, criticizing them in particular for their policies promoting diversity and for allowing anti-war protests to proliferate, which he associates with anti-Semitism.

During his first term (2017-2021), the Republican billionaire had mainly targeted Chinese students in fields deemed sensitive, suspected of links with Chinese intelligence.

Marco Rubio's announcement comes after China called on the United States to "concretely guarantee the legitimate rights and interests of international students, including Chinese students."

The Donald Trump administration, determined to impose its nationalist and conservative ideology, on Tuesday ordered the suspension of visa processing for foreign students, whose social media it intends to scrutinize.

In an internal document, the US State Department is now asking US embassies and consulates not to authorize "appointments for new student visas or exchange programs," pending the issuance of "guidance on the enhanced social media review of all such requests."

Since January, hundreds of foreign students have had their visas revoked, while students legally present on American soil who participated in pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been arrested and threatened with deportation.

Donald Trump's attack on visas extends beyond students, with the US administration announcing Wednesday that it will deny visas to foreign officials who "censor" Americans on social media. Rubio, who has been criticized by some for revoking visas from people who criticized Israel, said there were "blatant acts of censorship" abroad against American companies.

On Wednesday, he announced, in retaliation, "a new visa restriction policy that will apply to foreign officials and people who are complicit in American censorship," without naming names.