Future of international students — and their $3.9 billion Mass. impact — in limbo
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International students contributed an estimated $3.9 billion to Massachusetts' economy during the 2023-24 school year.
Why it matters: Those students' futures — and that money — have come into question as the Trump administration restricts international student enrollment.
The latest: The State Department is halting student visa interviews and revoking visas for Chinese students as part of its broader immigration overhaul.
- A senior Trump administration official told Axios the latter applies to all Chinese nationals studying in the U.S. and noted the move coincides with trade negotiations between the two countries.
Context: This comes after the Trump administration abruptly revoked student visas nationwide and as it tries to bar Harvard from accepting international students.
- A judge halted President Trump's efforts to stop international student enrollment at Harvard — part of a broader fight between President Trump and the Ivy League school — while Harvard's lawsuit against the feds proceeds.
- But that reportedly hasn't stopped the Trump administration from instructing officials to increase scrutiny of international students seeking to go to Harvard.
- Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly said in a diplomatic cable obtained by CNN that if consular offices encounter an applicant who seeks to work at, attend or otherwise visit to Harvard, they should refuse the visa "pending review of their online presence."
By the numbers: Massachusetts hosted 82,000 international students during the 2023-24 school year, just over 7.3% of international students nationwide, per a report by NAFSA: Association of International Educators.
- The NAFSA report estimates their enrollment helped create nearly 36,000 jobs.
Zoom in: The latest move doesn't just take aim at Harvard, but all Massachusetts schools that have international students.
- Another report estimates 27% of those students are Chinese.