Trump Administration Threat to Revoke Chinese Student Visas Roils California
The Trump administration’s announcement this week that Chinese students’ visas would be “aggressively” revoked has inflamed the uncertainty among the nation’s international students — and in California has ignited anger among leaders in the Chinese American community who said such a targeted action is “xenophobic.”
Background on the Plan
Little has been disclosed about the administration’s plan, which represents yet another salvo in President Trump’s combative push to reshape higher education, which has roiled academia, disrupted campus life and spilled into courts across the country.
On Wednesday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced in a social media post that the visa revocations will include “those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” without elaborating on what areas of study would be targeted or whether the move would apply solely to college students.
Rubio said in a statement that the U.S. State Department and the Department of Homeland Security would revoke the visas, while also revising “visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”
Impact on Academic Future
Scholars and international students fear such an action could jeopardize the academic future of tens of thousands of Chinese students enrolled at colleges across the country, and threaten billions of dollars in tuition payments desperately needed by universities already facing the loss of research funding and other cuts effectuated by Trump’s education policies.
The potential financial fallout is of acute concern in California, where Chinese students constitute the largest international group. About 51,000 Chinese nationals in California make up more than a third of the state’s nearly 141,000 foreign students.
Criticism and Historical Context
Trump’s plan was widely criticized Thursday by politicians, professors and others in California and beyond. For many, Rubio’s invocation of the Communist Party triggered dark recollections of past anti-Chinese policy, including 1882’s Chinese Exclusion Act, which banned immigration from China.
Rep. Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park) called the visa decision “xenophobic,” and said it would “only hurt America.”
“This is yet another example of the Trump administration targeting Chinese people instead of the Chinese government, assuming that every Chinese person is a pawn for the Chinese Communist Party,” Chu said. “That is what xenophobia is all about, and it is reminiscent of the Chinese Exclusion Act.”
Concerns Over Intellectual Property Theft
State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a news briefing Thursday that the agency would not elaborate on the criteria that the U.S. would use in vetting visas. She said the department is thinking about “the nature of how we keep America safe and secure and more prosperous.”
Bruce raised the specter of intellectual property theft by China — a well-documented scourge that is estimated to have cost the U.S. billions of dollars.
Some Warn of Brain Drain
Even as some educators questioned the administration’s willingness to carry out its plan — one UCLA professor likened it to posturing designed to rattle students and scholars — others said they expected the policy to initiate a wave of departures that could touch off a major “brain drain.” Such an exodus could hand China an advantage in the global race for supremacy in key fields including technology, defense and medicine, they said.
“The U.S. basically has succeeded by not caring what passport a brain carries — we care about the brain,” said David M. Lampton, a professor emeritus at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and an expert on China. “This is just senseless, counterproductive policy. We will drive many [Chinese scholars] away, for sure. And it will make China a more attractive place for research for some professors.”
Chinese Students as a Financial Boon
Chinese students have been a boon for American universities, because, like other foreigners, they pay a lot more than U.S. students do. Foreign students typically pay a school’s full rate and, in some cases, a special fee.
At the University of California, for example, there’s a nonresident fee of $34,200 per year for those entering the system. So how much do Chinese students contribute to UC coffers?
With annual tuition and fees of $49,134 per Chinese student, they could pay a total of more than $876 million a year, according to an estimate calculated by The Times. And their overall economic impact, inclusive of other items such as room and board, is much higher.
International Students Reeling
The Trump administration’s dizzying array of executive orders and other directives focused on higher education has been especially overwhelming for international students and faculty.
This week, the State Department stopped scheduling visa interviews with students from foreign countries and said it was preparing to increase the vetting of prospective international students’ social media activity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Trump administration’s plan to revoke Chinese student visas has sparked widespread criticism and concern among academics, politicians, and the Chinese American community. The potential consequences of this plan are far-reaching, with the possibility of a brain drain, financial losses for universities, and a chilling effect on academia. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the administration will implement this plan and what the ultimate impact will be on international students, universities, and the United States as a whole.
FAQs
Q: What is the Trump administration’s plan regarding Chinese student visas?
A: The Trump administration plans to “aggressively” revoke the visas of Chinese students with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.
Q: How many Chinese students are currently enrolled in universities in California?
A: About 51,000 Chinese nationals are enrolled in universities in California, making up more than a third of the state’s nearly 141,000 foreign students.
Q: What is the potential financial impact of the plan on universities in California?
A: The potential financial impact is significant, with Chinese students contributing millions of dollars in tuition payments each year. The University of California alone could lose over $876 million annually.
Q: What are the concerns regarding the plan?
A: Concerns include the potential for a brain drain, financial losses for universities, and a chilling effect on academia, as well as the plan being seen as xenophobic and reminiscent of past anti-Chinese policies.
