The return of Donald Trump to the political stage has significantly altered the academic environment in the United States, particularly for Chinese students, who now face growing hostility and suspicion. Visa cancellations, budget cuts to educational institutions, and a rising perception of Chinese students as national security threats have marked this shift.
Since Trump’s re-election, over 4,700 Chinese students have been removed from the U.S. immigration database—a move widely seen as paving the way for their deportation.
In a recent development, the U.S. House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent letters to six top American universities, questioning their decision to enroll Chinese nationals in advanced science and technology programs. The committee’s chairman, John Moolenaar, went as far as to call the U.S. visa system a “Trojan horse for Beijing.”
Amid this wave of suspicion, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation such as the “Stop Chinese Communist Prying Act,” aimed at effectively shutting the door on Chinese students altogether.
Beijing has urged Washington to abandon what it describes as “discriminatory and restrictive measures under the pretext of national security.” China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that such actions are against the spirit of international education and undermine academic exchange between the two countries.
Professor Chen Yiran from Duke University refuted allegations that Chinese students steal American research and return to China, calling it a “misguided narrative.” According to him, most Chinese students come from middle-class families and spend millions of yuan to pursue a better future by studying in the U.S.
The New York-based nonprofit “Committee of 100” also warned U.S. lawmakers that such policies could weaken America’s leadership in science and technology.
As fears around safety and deportation rise, students are also buckling under financial pressure. The fear of sudden visa cancellations, discrimination on campuses, and shrinking scholarship opportunities are forcing many Chinese students to either give up on their dreams or seek new opportunities elsewhere.
In 2023, Chinese students contributed $14.3 billion to the U.S. economy. For fifteen years, they represented the largest international student community in the U.S.—a position recently overtaken by Indian students.
Experts caution that if this trend continues, it could inflict long-term damage on both U.S. educational institutions and the broader economy.