Latest Updates
- NAFSA Signs on to ACE Letter to DOS on Visa Appointment Pause. May 30, 2025. NAFSA signed on to a letter from a coalition of higher education associations (led by the American Council on Education, ACE) to Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressing deep concern about a recent cable that U.S. embassies and consular sections have been directed to pause new student visa interviews to prepare for additional social media screening and vetting. The letter points out that this pause could prevent international students already admitted for the summer and fall 2025 terms from arriving in time to begin their studies, and also raised alarm over reports that the administration planned to revoke student visas for some Chinese students currently studying in the U.S., cautioning that such actions could discourage talented students world-wide from deciding on the United States as their study destination of choice. Highlighting the $44 billion economic contribution of international students in the 2023–2024 academic year and noting the associations' history of cooperation with federal agencies on national security matters, including past efforts to address foreign influence and threats to research integrity, the letter urged the State Department to keep any pause as brief as possible, to communicate any new policies clearly to institutions and students, and to use all available tools to reduce wait times and backlogs, to avoid disruption in the 2025–2026 academic cycle.
- Five Key Points Related to the Administration’s Recent Actions Against International Students. May 29, 2025. The Trump administration’s assault on international education continues, sowing chaos and confusion. Here are some key points for international educators to keep in mind amid the uncertainty and rapidly unfolding developments.
- Rubio Plan to "Aggressively Revoke" Visas of Chinese Students with "Connections to the Chinese Communist Party or Studying in Critical Fields." May 28, 2025. In a brief press statement titled New Visa Policies Put America First, Not China Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the "U.S. State Department will work with the Department of Homeland Security to aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields. We will also revise visa criteria to enhance scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong." No other details were included in the statement.
- Pause of International Student Visa Interviews is Misguided and Self-Defeating. May 27, 2025. Statements by NAFSA executive Director and CEO Dr. Fanta Aw regarding the Trump administration's plan to require all F, M, and J nonimmigrants applying for visas to come to the United States to undergo enhanced social media vetting - a significant expansion of previous such efforts.
- ICE sends Notice of Intent to Withdraw to Harvard. May 29, 2025. DHS posted a copy of a Notice of Intent to Withdraw (NOIW) that it sent to Harvard, dated May 28, 2025 and signed by Todd Lyons, Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Under DHS regulations the issuance of a NOIW begins formal proceedings that could lead to a withdrawal on notice of Harvard's SEVIS certification. See NAFSA's page Harvard Suit Challenges Revocation of SEVP Certification for information on the litigation.
- SEVIS Release 6.82.2 to Revise SEVIS "Disciplinary Action" Page. May 28, 2025. According to the SEVIS Release 6.82.2 Planning Guide (May 21, 2025), SEVIS Release 6.82.2, scheduled for implementation on May 30, 2025, will revise the "Disciplinary Action" page in F-1/M-1 SEVIS RTI in ways that may impact how DSOs report disciplinary action. See NAFSA's page.
- DOS Pauses Adding New F, M, J Visa Appointment Capacity Pending Guidance on Expansion of Social Media Screening. May 27, 2025. Politico reported on May 27 that the Department of State (DOS) is ordering U.S. embassies and consulates to temporary pause adding "additional F, M, and J "visa appointment capacity" until it issues further guidance, expected "in the coming days," on an expansion of social media screening and vetting of student and exchange visitor applicants. See NAFSA's page for details and additional context.
- TRO Blocks DHS Revocation of Harvard SEVP Certification. May 23, 2025. A federal district court granted Harvard University's motion for a temporary restraining order (TRO) that currently prevents the U.S. government from implementing or giving any force or effect to DHS's revocation of the university's SEVP certification. See NAFSA's page for details and links.
- Nationwide Preliminary Injunction Issued in SEVIS Termination Case. May 22, 2025. A California District Court issued a nationwide preliminary injunction blocking DHS from arresting and incarcerating, transferring, imposing any adverse legal effect on, or reversing reactivation of SEVIS records of individuals who are maintaining F-1 status, while litigation is proceeding. Read the nationwide preliminary injunction in S.Y. v. Noem, 4:25-cv-03244, (N.D. Cal.), filed April 11, 2025. See the Case Docket on CourtListener. See NAFSA's page for general information on litigation on the SEVIS termination issue.
- New FAM Provision Focuses on F-1 "Sole Pursuit of Study" Requirement. May 21, 2025. On April 29, 2025 the Department of State updated its Foreign Affairs Manual at 9 FAM 402.5, Students and Exchange Visitors – F, M, and J Visas to add an explanatory section on the requirement that an F-1 student have the intent to solely pursue a full course of study. The entire section is unavailable to the public, however. See NAFSA's page.
Key Executive and Regulatory Actions
Government Funding, Staffing, and Operations
The president's draft fiscal 2026 "skinny" budget proposes a 93 percent reduction in funding for State Department Educational and Cultural Exchanges, effectively dismantling the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and its programs. Urge Congress to defend and fund federal international education and exchange programs.
Antisemitism Related
An April 9 DHS news release says that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services "will consider social media content that indicates an alien endorsing, espousing, promoting, or supporting antisemitic terrorism, antisemitic terrorist organizations, or other antisemitic activity as a negative factor in any USCIS discretionary analysis when adjudicating immigration benefit requests. This guidance is effective immediately."
Vetting and Enforcement
As of May 7, there have been more than 1,600 reports of international students and scholars either having their visa revoked and/or their record in SEVIS terminated, thereby jeopardizing their legal status in the United States. On April 28, 2025, 35 senators joined U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) in demanding clarity and transparency. If your senator(s) signed the letter, please thank them.
NAFSA Statements and Commentary
NAFSA Responds to DHS Threats Against Harvard, OPT
"Revoking an institution’s ability to enroll international students and threatening to dismantle OPT are ill-conceived attacks on high-functioning systems and programs," said Fanta Aw, NAFSA CEO. "International students are not bargaining chips—they are scholars, researchers, and contributors to our communities whose presence strengthens U.S. higher education and society. We turn global talent away at our own expense."
Congress Urged to Intervene on Behalf of International Students
NAFSA released initial findings from its collection of field reports on visa revocations and termination of SEVIS records and, with its partners in U.S. for Success Coalition, urged Congress to intervene as a matter of national interest.
NAFSA Urges Renewal of Government-Higher Education Partnership
On May 15, NAFSA joined a statement led by the American Council on Education and endorsed by 52 other organizations affirming the longstanding partnership between the federal government and higher education and urging the current administration reforge this partnership to advance shared national interests.
Related Resources
2025 Policy Digest
A chronological compilation of U.S. government policy and regulatory developments and related advocacy activities, updated on a monthly basis.
Connecting Our World
Connecting Our World is NAFSA's weekly newsletter that distills the top policy and regulatory developments affecting international education and identifies how members of the field can use their voice to take action in simple but meaningful ways.
Helpful Resources
Helpful resources from NAFSA and others on initiatives under the Second Trump Administration