Published August 30, 2025
DAWN
MUCH of President Donald Trump’s voter base is suspicious of the US higher education sector, particularly more liberal colleges. This distrust is beginning to show in official policies. The Trump administration has sought to limit student visas for foreigners to four years. As per the Department of Homeland Security, the steps are being taken to prevent “forever students” from extending their stay in the US. The department claims such students pose safety risks to the US, while burdening the American taxpayer. However, according to the government’s own data, foreign students brought in over $50bn to the economy in 2023. Even before these steps were announced, foreign students were facing increasing curbs. This year, over 6,000 student visas have been revoked, including for “support for terrorism”, which in many cases translates to pro-Palestine activism, while the State Department has ordered US missions abroad to increase vetting of applicants for “hostile attitudes”.
There are various reasons for the crackdown on foreign students. For one, this administration is ideologically opposed to immigration; Maga supporters see foreign student visas as an easy path to US residency and citizenship, with foreigners ‘taking away’ American jobs. Moreover, the American far right dislikes higher education. The US vice president, before taking office, referred to universities as “the enemy” while Mr Trump has claimed US colleges are “dominated by Marxist maniacs and lunatics”. Considering the prevailing trends, foreign students, including those from Pakistan, seeking to study in the US may want to alter their plans. Though the US indeed boasts a world-class tertiary education sector, getting American visas for foreigners may become even more difficult in the days to come, though in an apparent U-turn, Mr Trump still hopes to welcome Chinese students. Yet America does not have a monopoly on knowledge, and foreign students should explore other, more welcoming options.
Published in Dawn, August 30th, 2025
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