Trump moves to limit how long foreign students, journalists can stay in US

The Trump administration has proposed tighter restrictions on how long foreign students and journalists can stay in the United States.

Under the proposed plan, student visas would be limited to a maximum of four years. Journalists would face a cap of 240 days, although they could apply for extensions in 240-day increments, except for Chinese journalists, whose stays would be restricted to just 90 days.

Previously, US visas for students and journalists were generally valid for the full duration of their programs or assignments, though no non-immigrant visa can exceed 10 years.

The proposed rules were published in the Federal Register, opening a brief period for public comment before they could take effect.

The Department of Homeland Security argued that some foreigners had been extending their studies indefinitely to remain in the country as “forever students.” “For too long, past administrations have allowed foreign students and other visa holders to stay in the US virtually indefinitely, posing safety risks, costing taxpayers and disadvantaging US citizens,” the department said in a statement.

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Critics questioned this reasoning, noting that international students contributed more than $50 billion to the US economy in 2023, according to Commerce Department data. More than 1.1 million international students enrolled in US colleges in the 2023-24 academic year, the most of any country, with many paying full tuition.

University leaders described the new rules as unnecessary red tape that could deter prospective students and hurt research and job creation. “This proposed rule sends a message to talented individuals from around the world that their contributions are not valued in the United States,” said Miriam Feldblum, president of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.

“It weakens the ability of US colleges to attract top talent and threatens our global competitiveness.”