Secretary of State Marco Rubio testifies before the House Committee on Appropriations on May 21, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Photo: John McDonnell/Getty Images
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has intensified its targeting of international students in the United States, making efforts to limit Harvard University’s ability to enroll foreign students and ordering a pause on student-visa interviews. But on Thursday, the federal government moved to single out one country in particular, announcing its intentions to “aggressively” revoke visas from Chinese students. Here’s what we know so far.
On Thursday, the State Department announced that it would be taking even harsher measures against current and prospective international students, aiming its latest directive toward scholars from China. In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that his department would soon be moving to “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students with the intent of placing further restrictions on future visas down the line.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, the U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields,” he said. “We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”
No further guidance was provided as to when this revocation process will begin and how many students could potentially be impacted. A report from the International Institute of Education, a nonprofit, and the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs found that China sent more than 277,000 students to the United States in the 2023-2024 school year.
Mao Ning, a spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, addressed the move from the United States government during a press conference, saying that China “firmly opposes” the action. “This politically motivated and discriminatory move exposes the lie of America’s long-touted claim of being ‘free and open,’ and will only further damage the United States’ international image and national credibility,” she said, per CNN.
Last week, Homeland Security secretary Kristi Noem announced that her department had revoked Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program certification, which allows the Ivy League institution to enroll international students, prompting a legal challenge from the university. In a statement, Noem said the drastic action was due to Harvard’s lack of response for information regarding its foreign students and their on-campus misconduct and similarly cited concerns about the CCP. “This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” she said.
A judge would later block the federal government’s move, scheduling a court hearing in the matter. But the Trump administration has soon signaled that it might be easing off of its initial position. CNN reports that the federal government has given Harvard 30 days to rebut its challenge to its ability to enroll foreign students.
This week, Politico reported the State Department has temporarily halted interviews for student-visa applicants as the Trump administration considers increased social-media vetting for prospective visa recipients, a move that will likely slow down the screening process.
