Keita Kobayashi
In a statement dated May 28, United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the federal government will “aggressively revoke visas for Chinese students,” with particular attention to students “with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.” The statement did not specify a timeline.
In 2024, about 43% of all graduate and undergraduate international students in the University of California system were from China. At UCSD, there were 8,111 international students enrolled in 2024, 3,826 of whom were Chinese. Over 2,000 of these students were graduate students, and 1,649 were undergraduates. Students from China comprise the largest international student community at UCSD, making up roughly 47% of the total international student population.
Since President Donald Trump’s inauguration, his administration has made unprecedented efforts to terminate international student visas at higher education institutions across the nation. After more than 900 student visas were revoked at colleges nationwide in early April, the Justice Department announced on April 25 that all visa terminations had been reversed. As a result, the status of international student visas remains uncertain.
UC San Diego’s International Services and Engagement Office updated its Immigration Policy Updates page on May 27 with a statement confirming that the U.S. government had ordered a nationwide pause on scheduling all new F, M, and J visa interview appointments for incoming international students. These visas enable foreign nationals to stay in the U.S. temporarily while enrolled in an academic or exchange program.
According to KPBS, as of May 30, UCSD has reported no changes to the visa status of Chinese students in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System portal. The UCSD Guardian has reached out to University Communications for comment.
Stett Holbrook, a spokesperson for the UC Office of the President, gave a statement to the media, expressing the office’s concern about Rubio’s issuance.
“Chinese students, as well as all our international students, scholars, faculty and staff, are vital members of our university community and contribute greatly to our research, teaching, patient care and public service mission,” the statement read.
A decline in international student enrollment across the UC could also pose financial consequences, as they pay $34,200 more in tuition annually than in-state students. These potential visa cancellations come amid state budget cuts to higher education, which have resulted in a proposed 3% decrease in state funding to the UC system.
This is an ongoing story. The Guardian will provide updated coverage as more details become available.