Recently, the Trump administration has proposed a rule to limit the duration of F-1 student visas to four years, irrespective of the length of academic programs. This is an urgent call for all academic institutions to support their international students. We must reaffirm our commitment to them by urging university leadership to take concrete steps to protect their rights, well-being, and opportunities to succeed.
In the 2023–2024 academic year, international students contributed approximately $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy, supporting over 378,000 jobs. A potential decline in international student enrollment in the 2025–2026 academic year could result in nearly $7 billion in lost revenue and over 60,000 fewer jobs.
Beyond economic contributions, international students enrich U.S. communities by bringing diverse perspectives, improving multicultural understanding, and broadening our global awareness. I want to take this opportunity to thank Sen. Peter Welch and Sen. Bernie Sanders for continuously showing their public support for international communities in Vermont. I urge you to continue standing with us opposing harmful visa restrictions, by encouraging the Trump administration to pass a Presidential Determination that sets a higher cap for refugee admissions addressing the need for those whose approved status and flights were cancelled earlier this year.
