International Students Are Critical for U.S. Innovation. Why Are They at Risk?

International students play a vital role in the U.S. higher education system, with more than one million enrolled during the 2023–24 academic year. They contribute tens of billions of dollars to the economy each year, support job creation, and advance cutting-edge research and innovation efforts.

But in the early months of his second term, President Donald Trump has intensified scrutiny of international students and visitors studying in the United States, as well as the academic institutions that host them—with Harvard University becoming a primary target. The administration’s focus on the Ivy League school is part of a larger strategy to clamp down on political activism and dissent, with implications for academic freedom, the U.S. economy, and the United States’ standing as a global leader in education.

What’s happening?

The Trump administration’s recent actions are part of a broader campaign to reshape U.S. higher education by cutting off billions of dollars worth of funding to several universities. The White House also announced plans to implement heightened social media screening for international applicants and revoke visas for some Chinese students—including those studying in certain “critical fields” or those with ties to the Chinese Communist Party.

On June 4, Trump signed an executive order restricting the entry of international students seeking to study at Harvard University or participate in an exchange program there, saying that doing so would jeopardize U.S. national security. To do so, Trump invoked the Immigration and Nationality Act, which gives the president broad authority to block foreigners whose entry “would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.”

Trump’s order comes weeks after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rescinded Harvard’s ability to enroll international students, saying the school was “fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus.” The order forces thousands of existing international students to either transfer institutions or relinquish their visa status and face potential deportation. Harvard has challenged the actions and a federal judge temporarily blocked the administration’s move, but the legal battle continues. 

How many international students are in the U.S., and why do they matter for higher education and research?

The stakes could be significant, experts say. More than 1.1 million foreign students—a record high—were enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities during the 2023–24 academic year, roughly a 7 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Institute of International Education’s 2024 Open Doors Report. China and India account for 54 percent of all international students; other major places of origin included Bangladesh, Canada, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Many of these foreign students remain in the country after graduating via the H1B visa program, which allows U.S. employers to hire foreign citizens in specialty occupations that require at least a bachelor’s degree. In fiscal year 2023, the State Department issued more than 265,000 H1B visas [PDF], including both initial and renewal approvals.

Experts warn that the recent policies affecting international students could pose a significant setback to U.S. higher education and the economy. International students contributed nearly $44 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 378,000 jobs during the 2023–24 academic year, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, a Washington, DC-based nonprofit. At many higher education institutions, international students often pay full tuition, which can help support the financial aid offered to some U.S. citizens.

The loss of international students could lead to a decline in U.S. innovation and competitive advantage, many experts say. As of 2024, immigrants had founded or co-founded 44 percent of U.S. “unicorn” start-up companies valued at $1 billion or more, research from Stanford University’s Venture Capital Initiative shows. The potential of foreign students is illustrated by the success of tech billionaire Elon Musk. Born in South Africa, the former Trump advisor studied at the University of Pennsylvania before founding Tesla and SpaceX.

This potential decline in talent is compounded by the administration’s suspension of federal research funding to institutions like Harvard. “Since the 1940s… the engine driving U.S. economic and military competitiveness has been federal support of research universities,” CFR Senior Fellow Max Boot wrote in the Washington Post.

What’s going on with Chinese students?

Shortly after DHS revoked Harvard’s certification, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on May 28 that the Trump administration would “aggressively revoke” visas for Chinese students, including those studying in “critical fields,” although he did not specify which ones. The move reflects the administration’s stated concerns that Chinese students could help Beijing gain a competitive advantage over Washington or participate in acts of espionage.

Why is the Trump administration targeting academic institutions?

Harvard is just the tip of the iceberg. The administration’s actions toward Harvard mark an escalation of Trump’s crackdown on foreign policy dissent, extending his campaign promises on immigration into broader scrutiny of academic institutions. Trump had indicated on the campaign trail that political views could be grounds for immigration enforcement, vowing to bar individuals who are alleged to hold certain viewpoints, including anti-Israel, Marxist, and fascist ideologies. The president has framed these current efforts as a response to what he has described as liberal bias in higher education. His administration has since taken steps to penalize international students involved in political activism on university campuses. Earlier this year, he issued an executive order mandating that universities monitor and report on certain foreign policy-related activities of international students and faculty.

The administration has also ordered U.S. embassies worldwide to temporarily stop scheduling visa interviews for foreign students, a directive that comes as the State Department prepares to implement tougher social media screenings of all foreign applicants. In March, the administration launched a “catch and revoke” initiative that uses artificial intelligence to scrape social media for content deemed supportive of terrorist groups or antisemitic activity. Meanwhile, many students who have not had their visas revoked are being warned against traveling outside of the country for fear of being barred from reentry.

What has been the domestic and international response?

The Trump administration’s new policies have evoked praise from some Republican lawmakers, while some Democratic congressional groups have swiftly condemned them. “The wholesale revocation of student visas based on national origin—and without an investigation—is xenophobic and wrong,” the nonpartisan Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus posted.

Meanwhile, the targeting of foreign students could damage U.S. bilateral relations and undermine the United States’ role as a leader in global education. China’s Foreign Affairs Ministry criticized Trump’s new visa policy for Chinese students as a “politically discriminatory move [that] exposes the hypocrisy of America’s long-proclaimed values of freedom and openness.”

More restrictive visa policies could encourage students to pursue their academic endeavors elsewhere. International graduate students’ interest in studying in the United States has dropped by more than 40 percent since the start of January, data from StudyPortals shows, while several Asian universities have already reportedly offered themselves as alternatives for current Harvard students. 

Will Merrow created the map for this article.