Proposed Trump Policy to Impact International Students
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Co-authored by Margaret Harris
On August 27, 2025, the Trump Administration publicized a proposed plan (originally received by the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs on June 27th of the same year) entailing regulations for F-1 visa* holders. If his plan is passed, it will limit the duration of status “to [not] exceed” 4 years (DHS, 2025), meaning that international students could not legally stay in the United States for a period longer than 4 years without further approval.
Students are currently allowed to study at any scholastic year (throughout elementary, intermediate, high, or another level of education) for an unspecified duration. Theoretically, a student could study from grades K-12 and then follow through higher education. While there are regulations on what schools these students can attend, they are legally allowed to stay for as long as their education continues. If the new policy is accepted, foreign students would need to apply to United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to extend their status duration. The goal of this proposal was to structure the visa regulations and impose regular assessments from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on international students.
Notably, in the statement addressing the rule, which was posted to the Department of Homeland Security website, an anonymous DHS spokesperson was quoted attributing foreign students with “costing [an] untold amount of taxpayer dollars”. Contrarily, the Association of International Educators (NAFSA) predicts that a 30-40% decline in international student enrollment nationally “would result in nearly $7 billion in lost revenue and more than 60,000 fewer jobs.” (NAFSA, 2025). This level of decline in enrollment is not unreasonably drastic, as The Texas Tribune claims that Texas colleges may face a significant decline in international student enrollment due to “increased scrutiny of international students” (Priest, 2025) following President Trump’s return to office.
In addition to the limiting of visa duration, reports of student visa revocations and record terminations have grown to over 1,600 nationally as of May 7th this year (Hartmann, 2025).
The DHS article repeatedly uses the term “alien” to refer to international students. While “alien” is defined as “any person not a citizen or national of the United States” by the Office of the Law Revision Council of the United States House of Representatives’ United States Code**, the term has faced debate regarding the controversial nature of its connotation. Many scholars argue that it is a legal term and, therefore, most appropriate to use. Others, like Monika Batra Kashyap (J.D., B.A.), argue that provocative terms like these “are dehumanizing; they connote finality, defeat, shame, and blame.” (“Illegal vs Undocumented”).
A 2020 article by student Michele Clifford at Birmingham Young University addresses how othering language can promote an “us versus them” mindset when thinking about immigrants (which can be generalized to foreign nationals as well). She writes about a “concurrent theme of social stigma shaping opinions toward immigrants in these communities.” (Clifford, 2025). In other words, language with negative or positive connotations towards immigrants shapes the social stigma surrounding them as individuals. This impacts the way that society views immigration as a whole and the way that members of society treat immigrants as people. The same goes for foreign nationals and students.
Altogether, students holding F-1 visas are facing stricter regulations regarding their education in the United States, concurrent with governmental emphasis on distinctions between citizens and non-citizens. If the Administration’s plan is passed, Texas’ economy will be impacted at a potentially severe level.
*F-1 visas, also known as student visas, allow international students to enter the United States as per non-immigrational status. Visa holders are permitted to study full-time at any accredited academic institution or language training program but must retain residency abroad. F-1 students are permitted by the Department of Homeland Security to work off-campus in specific instances and on a case-by-case basis.
**Section 101(a)(3) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C 1101(a)(3))
Works Cited:
Clifford, Michelle. “US versus Them: A Study of the Basis of Varying Perceptions of Immigrants in Border Towns.” BYU ScholarsArchive. 2020.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 06/27/2025. Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Collection and Use of Biometrics by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. RIN 1653-AA95. Accessed September 2025.
“2024 SEVIS by the Numbers Report.” U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
“8 USC 1101: Definitions.” OLRC Home.
“Effects of the Immigration Surge on the Federal Budget and the Economy.” Congressional Budget Office, July 2024.
“Fall 2025 International Student Enrollment Outlook and Economic Impact.” NAFSA, 2025.
“Glossary | USCIS.” U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services.
Hartmann, Joann Ng. “New Insights into the Growing Number of Actions Against International Students and Scholars.” NAFSA, 7 May 2025.
Kashyap, Monika Batra. “‘Illegal’ vs. ‘Undocumented’: A NWIRP Board Member’s Perspective.” Northwest Immigrant Rights Project.
Priest, Jessica. “Texas Universities Could See Fewer International Students amid Immigration Crackdown, Reports Say.” The Texas Tribune, 26 Aug. 2025.
“Students and Employment.” U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
“Texas Trends as the Third Most Popular US State for International Students.” ApplyBoard, 17 May 2022.
“Trump Administration Proposes New Rule to End Foreign Student Visa Abuse.” U.S. Department of Homeland Security, 27 Aug. 2025.
“YOUR GUIDE TO STUDYING IN THE STATES.” U.S. Department of Homeland Security.