Reuters: The number of newly enrolled international students at U.S. colleges and universities dropped by 17% this autumn following new restrictions on student visas and other Trump administration policies, according to a report released on Monday.
Among the schools citing declines in new enrollments, 96% said visa application concerns were a factor, and 68% cited travel restrictions, according to the nonprofit Institute of International Education, which collected data from 825 U.S. higher education institutions.
As part of its increased scrutiny of legal immigration, the Trump administration has instituted a number of policies aimed at international students, including efforts to cap, opens new tab their enrollment at U.S. universities.
Additionally, the U.S. State Department has authorized consular officers to ask visa applicants to make their social media accounts public in an effort to identify any who may be hostile toward the United States. Some student visas have been revoked, and students seeking new visas have faced delays.
In a statement, White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said President Donald Trump is “strengthening our country’s visa programs to put American national security first.”
A representative for the Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Many schools reflected in Monday’s report said visa delays related to long wait times, or the temporary pause in visa issuance earlier this year, had an impact on the ability of students to receive visas.
The report noted that concerns about the visa application process, such as visa delays and denials, have long been the leading factor noted by institutions for enrollment declines.
