Richmond, Virginia—The Trump administration’s decision Tuesday to freeze international student visa interviews will have significant rebounding costs for Virginia’s colleges and universities, the Virginia Mercury reports. In April, the Trump administration abruptly cancelled hundreds of existing visas, then just as abruptly, restored them after the cancellations were challenged in court. This week, the administration froze all interviews for prospective and continuing students and revoked visas for thousands of international students from China. The Mercury projects that international students contributed $807.2 million to Virginia institutions of higher learning in 2023-2024, and without that crucial funding, many universities will struggle to recoup their operating costs.
“The Trump administration’s reckless treatment of international students is not just a cruel attack on young people pursuing their education, it’s a direct assault on Virginia’s higher education system and economic stability,” said LaTwyla Mathias, Executive Director at Progress Virginia. “Our colleges and universities depend on the intellectual, cultural, and financial contributions of international students. By putting their visa access in limbo, the administration is sending a dangerous message: that global talent is not welcome here. We call on Virginia’s elected leaders at every level to speak out against these harmful policies and fight to protect our students, our schools, and the future of higher education in our Commonwealth.”
Key takeaways from the article:
- Student visas are required for international students to enter the US, live, and enroll in school legally. The now-frozen interviews are a required step in the visa process.
- Students without a visa are subject to arrest, deportation, and forced withdrawal from school.
- George Mason University leads Virginia colleges and universities in funding from international students.
- Other institutions that receive significant funding from international students include Virginia Tech, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, and Northern Virginia Community College