Marco Rubio says US will revoke visas from Chinese students, add new restrictions
Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the United States will be "aggressively" revoking visas of Chinese students, days after President Donald Trump demanded the "names and countries" of international students from Harvard University.
"The U.S. Department of State 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," Rubio said in a statement on May 28.
Rubio said the State Department will be revising visa criteria to enhance "scrutiny of all future visa applications from the People’s Republic of China and Hong Kong.”
The state department did not immediately respond to a request for comment on why Chinese students were being targeted, which areas of study were being considered crucial, and how many visas were expected to be revoked.
The Trump administration has paused scheduling new visa interviews for international students at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide, as the State Department prepares to expand social media vetting of foreign students, according to an internal cable seen by Reuters on May 27.
The Trump administration has also announced it will revoke visas for all foreign students at Harvard University, although that measure was immediately blocked by a judge.
Administration officials have moved to deport student visa and green card holders for engaging in pro-Palestinian protest and criticism of Israel's conduct in the war in Gaza, calling their actions a threat to U.S. foreign policy and accusing them of being pro-Hamas.
Contributing: Reuters