US Plans Visa Revocations for Chinese Students at Harvard, Critical Fields

The U.S. government, under Secretary of State Marco Rubio and President Donald Trump’s administration, announced a plan to aggressively revoke visas of Chinese students studying in the United States, particularly targeting those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or in critical fields such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing. This move is part of a broader effort to enhance scrutiny of visa applicants from China and Hong Kong amid rising tensions over national security and concerns about espionage and intellectual property theft. The Department of Homeland Security and State Department have started to implement these visa revocations, affecting thousands of students, including over a thousand at Harvard University, which has challenged the administration's restrictions in court. Harvard’s Student Exchange and Visitor Program certification was terminated by DHS but temporarily blocked by a federal judge, with ongoing legal battles as the university argues that international students are essential to its mission and funding. The Trump administration has also halted new student visa appointments and plans to expand social media vetting for applicants, reflecting a hardline stance on educational ties with China. This policy shift has sparked controversy and legal challenges, highlighting the tension between national security concerns and the role of foreign students in American higher education.