International students in Texas left in limbo
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Texas has more international students than nearly every other state, per data from NAFSA, an international education nonprofit.
Why it matters: The Trump administration is halting student visa interviews and revoking visas for Chinese students amid a political pressure campaign against colleges and universities and a broader immigration crackdown.
By the numbers: Of all international students studying in the U.S. during the 2023-24 school year, about 8% were doing so in Texas, third behind only California (12.5%) and New York (12.1%).
The big picture: The student visa pause comes amid the Trump administration's criticism of U.S. colleges and universities for failing to crack down on what it describes as heightened antisemitism as students protest Israel's actions in Gaza.
- The revocation of Chinese students' visas in particular is tied to concerns that their government is using them "to steal intellectual property on Beijing's behalf," a State Department official told Axios.
Zoom in: The University of Texas appears to be especially exposed to the administration's crackdown.
- During the 2024-25 school year, nearly 2,000 undergraduates and more than 4,600 graduate students were from abroad — or about 12% of all UT-Austin students.
- International students represent 130 countries, with 1,394 of those students hailing from China, second only to the 1,502 from India.
What they're saying: As part of standard practice, "there is ongoing communication" with international students about immigration and other matters, "providing guidance where applicable," UT spokesperson Mike Rosen tells Axios.
Between the lines: The visas of at least 260 international university students in Texas — including students from Texas A&M and Texas State — were revoked by the federal government this spring, before the Trump administration reversed course and reactivated legal status.
- That decision came after federal judges ordered the administration to restore legal status for three people who came to Texas from India on student visas.
What we're watching: UT's interim president, Jim Davis, has not made any major public pronouncements about international students and their role at the university.
- Stanford University president Jon Levin, in contrast, wrote in a Linkedin post in late May that "it's self-defeating to send away young people with so much potential to contribute to the country."