Trump's visa pause and travel ban leave Colorado international students in limbo
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Thousands of international students at Colorado universities face new threats from the federal government.
State of play: The Trump administration is halting student visa interviews and revoking visas for Chinese students — part of a broader effort to pressure U.S. universities and tighten immigration rules.
- It also issued a travel ban, effective Monday, citing national security concerns. The order fully restricts and limits entry from 12 countries: Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen.
- The Trump administration also partially restricted and limited entry of nationals from seven countries: Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
By the numbers: About 10,000 international students were enrolled at Colorado colleges during the 2023–24 academic year, per NAFSA figures.
- The University of Colorado system counted 3,792 international students — including more than 500 from China — last fall across its four campuses, per CU data provided to Axios Denver.
- The University of Denver estimates it will sponsor more than 100 international students over the next academic year, spokesperson Jon Stone tells Axios Denver.
Driving the news: On June 4, CU leaders issued guidance to international students and scholars from the 19 countries impacted by the new travel ban.
- "Given the rapid nature of changes in U.S. entry and travel restrictions, foreign nationals from one of the designated countries should exercise caution and seriously consider potential risks when deciding to travel outside of the United States."
What they're saying: "We are monitoring closely the ongoing developments" at the federal level, CU spokesperson Michele Ames tells Axios Denver, noting how "difficult" it is to know how the visa changes and travel ban will affect current and prospective students.
- "Due to this uncertainty, we are focusing our efforts on supporting international students across all of our campuses as we all navigate these unknown waters together," Ames added.
- Meanwhile, DU is staying "in contact with all current and future students" about policy changes and has "also been in contact with our Colorado delegation about any potential impacts to the university," Stone tells Axios Denver.
The big picture: International students are a major economic engine for college towns nationwide, including in Colorado.
- From 2022 to 2023 alone, they contributed $359 million to the state's economy, according to the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, a nonprofit advocating for U.S. diplomatic and humanitarian efforts.
Go deeper: These states have the most international college students