International students add nearly $1B to Washington state's economy
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Washington is home to nearly 24,000 international college students, who contribute an estimated $918 million to the state's economy, per data from NAFSA, an international education nonprofit.
The big picture: 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.
- The student visa pause comes as the Trump administration has been criticizing 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 other side: Critics of the new federal approach argue that making it harder for international students to come study in the U.S. harms the country's global image and risks missing out on key talent in hot fields like artificial intelligence.
Zoom in: About 10% of University of Washington undergraduates this year are international students, who pay much higher tuition than in-state residents.
What's next: The State Department is considering broader vetting of student visa applicants' social media posts.