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Opinion: Deporting international students may weaken US economic and scientific leadership

In early April 2025, the Trump administration of thousands of international students listed in a government database, meaning they no longer had legal permission to be in the country. Some students self-deported instead of facing deportation.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently announced that it would after courts across the country determined they did not have merit.

These moves come as the White House seeks to enhance .

The State Department in March announced plans to use artificial intelligence to .

As an administrator and scholar who specializes in , I know that international students in the United States have long been subjected to a high level of .

Inserting additional bureaucracy into current processes could make the U.S. a less attractive study destination. I believe this would ultimately hamper the Trump administration's ability to achieve its "" priorities related to the economy, science and technology, and national security.

International students in the US

The U.S. has long been the . But is increasing as other countries, such as Germany and South Korea, enact .

The U.S. hosts 16% of all students studying outside of their home country, down from 22% in 2014 and 28% in 2001, according to the . Of the more than 1 million international students who were present in the U.S. during the 2023-2024 academic year, 54% came from just two countries, .

Most in —science, technology, engineering and mathematics. According to the , international students make up a significant portion of enrollment at the master's and doctoral levels.

How international students are screened

International students in the U.S. are already subjected to intense screening and continuous monitoring. These measures include:

• Vetting the student's school. Before they can apply for a visa, international students must be admitted to a school to enroll people on student visas.

• Vetting at the embassy. As part of the , international students are subjected to carried out by various intelligence and law enforcement agencies. In some cases, such as when a U.S. consular officer in their home country decides that more information is required from external sources to determine visa eligibility, additional screenings occur. That is done through a process known as .

• Vetting upon arrival. When they arrive in the U.S., international students are again screened by a officer. If the officer is unable to verify any information, the student is sent to , a secure interview area where the student waits while officers complete additional assessment. The student is then either admitted to the U.S. or forced to depart the country.

• Ongoing monitoring while in the U.S. If permitted to enter the country, students must enroll full time, earn good grades and notify their school within 10 days of substantive changes to their circumstances.

Examples include a change to their address, academic major or financial sponsor. And school officials are required to , part of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's National Security Investigations Division.

Students participating in temporary, postgraduation training programs must continue to . And certain STEM graduates, and their employers, are subject to . They include , annual evaluations and site visits.

Most , recent research shows. But they are willing to change their preferences as other countries introduce friendlier visa policies, such as more flexible and .

Given the current level of screening and monitoring already imposed on international students in the U.S., it is unclear how additional measures would add value.

Critical to an 'America First' agenda

agenda .

It also intends to maintain U.S. and .

have underlined the importance of recruiting top global talent. that international students who graduate from U.S. colleges should be awarded a green card with their degree.

During the 2023–2024 academic year, international students contributed through tuition and living expenses, which supported an estimated 378,175 U.S. jobs.

Their , according to the National Bureau of Economic Research. Many go on to launch successful startups at a rate that is eight to nine times higher than their domestic peers. In fact, in the U.S. were founded by a former international student.

include Eventbrite, Grammarly, Moderna, OpenAI, Robinhood and SpaceX.

International students also help the U.S. maintain global leadership in STEM.

Consider that in the U.S. holding a doctoral degree were born outside the U.S.

A 2024 report cautions that the at all levels of the education system. Just 3.2% of U.S. high school graduates are estimated to enter the STEM workforce.

Moreover, the country's ability to attract and retain due to immigration restrictions and increased global competition.

Finally, international students are critical to establishing global networks and promoting . This is evidenced by the U.S. having than any other nation.

Further restricting the ability of international students to study in the U.S. will ultimately , allies and adversaries alike.