'An economic earthquake': US move puts nearly 300,000 Chinese students on the edge of deportation

Nearly 300,000 Chinese students in the U.S. now face sudden legal limbo as the Trump administration, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, begins revoking visas and tightening scrutiny in an aggressive new policy targeting ties to the Chinese Communist Party and sensitive academic fields.

The sweeping crackdown—announced Wednesday—marks a seismic shift in U.S. student visa policy. Rubio said the State Department will “enhance scrutiny” of all future applications from China and Hong Kong, while halting new appointments for student and exchange visas.

The decision hits hard. Chinese students make up nearly a quarter of all international students in the U.S., and their sudden exclusion threatens not just lives and academic dreams, but the financial lifeblood of American universities. Institutions that rely on full-tuition international students now face massive budget gaps, potential program cuts, and weakened research funding.

“This isn’t just a visa policy—it's an academic and economic earthquake,” said a senior admissions officer at a major public university.

The crackdown’s ripple effects extend beyond campus walls. Students in the U.S. describe rising fear and confusion, with some preparing to leave mid-degree. Many say they feel unfairly labeled as national security threats, and others fear retaliation for speaking out.

“I’m not political. I came to study robotics. Now I don’t know if I’ll be deported next week,” said one graduate student at MIT, who asked not to be named for safety.

The policy cites national security risks from alleged Communist Party ties and “critical fields” of study, but offers few definitions—raising fears of arbitrary enforcement. Civil liberties groups warn that academic freedom and free speech may be collateral damage, especially for students active in campus protests or human rights campaigns.

China, which had 277,398 students in the U.S. last year, has not formally responded. But diplomats have previously called such measures discriminatory and warned they could damage long-standing educational and cultural exchanges.