Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced a new plan on Wednesday to “aggressively revoke” student visas issued to international students from China.
Newsweek reached out to the State Department via email and online form for additional comment.
Why It Matters
The Trump administration has cracked down on Ivy League institutions and sought to revoke the student visas of several international students since Trump took office.
Among other things, President Donald Trump and other officials have accused Harvard University and Columbia University of not doing enough to combat antisemitism on campus grounds amid student demonstrations protesting Israel’s war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Trump’s administration also tried to pull approval for Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which allows the university to enroll international students. A judge later halted the administration’s efforts.
The administration has also temporarily paused all new student and exchange visitor visa interviews at U.S. consulates and embassies. Amid the pause, the White House is considering implementing a new policy that would require foreign student visa applicants to go through a social media vetting.
What To Know
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Rubio said, “The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.”
Rubio added in a separate press release that the State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security in its efforts.
The secretary of state continued, “We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”
The U.S. will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.
— Secretary Marco Rubio (@SecRubio) May 28, 2025
Rubio’s announcement comes after he threatened earlier in the day to block visas for foreign officials who censor Americans.
“Free speech is among the most cherished rights we enjoy as Americans. This right, legally enshrined in our constitution, has set us apart as a beacon of freedom around the world,” Rubio said in a press release. “Even as we take action to reject censorship at home, we see troubling instances of foreign governments and foreign officials picking up the slack.”
Rubio and the State Department did not share additional information about how the process would be implemented or examples of Americans being censored.
What People Are Saying
Trump said on Truth Social on Sunday: “Why isn’t Harvard saying that almost 31% of their students are from FOREIGN LANDS, and yet those countries, some not at all friendly to the United States, pay NOTHING toward their student’s education, nor do they ever intend to.”
He added: “Nobody told us that! We want to know who those foreign students are, a reasonable request since we give Harvard BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, but Harvard isn’t exactly forthcoming. We want those names and countries. Harvard has $52,000,000, use it, and stop asking for the Federal Government to continue GRANTING money to you!”
Republican Representative Keith Self of Texas wrote on X on Wednesday: “It is a privilege NOT a right for any foreigner to step foot in America. @SecRubio continues putting American interests first! 🇺🇸🔥”
What Happens Next
It is not immediately clear how the Trump administration will implement its latest policy of revoking Chinese students’ visas, or if graduating seniors can still get their diploma or credit for completed coursework.
Update 5/28/25 10:50 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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