ACE and 37 other higher education organizations have written to Secretary of State Marco Rubio to express deep concern over the decision to pause new student visa interviews and reported plans to revoke student visas held by Chinese nationals currently in the United States.The letter urges the State Department to lift the current pause on visa interviews as quickly as possible and calls for transparency and thoughtfulness as new vetting procedures around social media are developed. The associations also ask for clarification regarding reports that the administration plans to begin revoking valid visas held by Chinese students, warning that such actions could have serious repercussions for the U.S. higher education system and the country’s global reputation.
“We are concerned that imposing a broad pause on all student visas would send a message that our nation no longer welcomes talented students and scholars from other countries,” the letter states. “This sudden action will discourage international students with benign and honest intentions, especially those from China, in choosing to study in the U.S.”
The decision to pause student visa processing follows a memo issued by Rubio stating the Department is conducting a review of screening and vetting procedures for F, M, and J visa applicants. The memo outlines a plan to expand social media screening for all student and exchange visitor applicants, first reported by Politico and confirmed by Inside Higher Ed.
In a statement, Rubio also said the U.S. will “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” especially those connected to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in “critical fields.” The criteria remain undefined.
Harvard Targeted in Escalating Federal Actions
This move is the latest in a string of federal actions that have unsettled international students and the institutions that host them. Just days earlier, the Trump administration attempted to revoke Harvard University’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, which could have barred the institution from enrolling international students. He also threatened to expand the ban to other colleges.
A federal judge has blocked the administration’s directive. On May 29, Judge Allison Burroughs said a temporary restraining order she issued last week will remain in place until a preliminary injunction is issued.
ACE’s Sarah Spreitzer told Inside Higher Ed that the way the federal government stripped Harvard’s SEVP certification was “unprecedented.”
“In a normal world, Harvard is supposed to actually get a notice that their SEVIS certification is being revoked, and then there is an appeals process,” she said. “It doesn’t seem that DHS is following any of the regular requirements that are included in statute for taking this action.”
President Trump has also publicly suggested that Harvard should cap international enrollment at 15 percent. Harvard officials and advocates argue that such actions undermine academic freedom, violate due process, and jeopardize the futures of thousands of students.
Colleges Nationwide Need Clarity and Collaboration
These actions are already having ripple effects across U.S. campuses.
The Chronicle of Higher Education reported that college leaders were blindsided by the visa-interview freeze, which began just as most international students were preparing to arrive for the fall term. At the NAFSA conference in San Diego, Steve Springer, director of regulatory practice liaison for NAFSA, called the pause either “catastrophic or a horribly timed bump in the road” if it is quickly lifted.
The letter from ACE and the other higher education organizations highlights the longstanding cooperation between U.S. colleges and universities and the federal government in protecting national security while maintaining an open academic environment. This includes past engagement on policies such as Presidential Proclamation 10043 and the creation of SEVP following 9/11.
More than 1 million international students studied at U.S. institutions during the 2023–24 academic year, contributing an estimated $44 billion to the U.S. economy. An extended disruption to visa processing, ACE and its fellow signatories warn, could significantly undercut this critical educational and economic engine.
The letter reiterates the higher education community’s willingness to work with the State Department and other federal agencies to safeguard national security while ensuring that international students continue to see the United States as a welcoming and reliable destination for study and research.