The U.S. government, led by President Trump, is planning to cancel the visas of many Chinese students currently studying in the country.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the State Department and Homeland Security will focus on removing visas from Chinese students who have links to the Chinese Communist Party or are studying sensitive topics related to national security.

Rubio also mentioned that the government will change visa rules to make it tougher for new students from China and Hong Kong to get approved for U.S. student visas.

According to the Institute of International Education, China was the second-largest source of international students in American colleges and universities in the 2023/2024 academic year, with nearly 277,400 students.

President Trump, speaking from the Oval Office, said he wants to ensure that foreign students studying in the U.S. are people who truly support and respect the country.

Reports show that the administration has increased how it checks foreign students’ social media and is working on plans to deport more students and take away their visas. This is part of Trump’s broader efforts to tighten immigration rules.

On Tuesday, the government ordered all U.S. embassies to stop processing student visa applications. This move is part of the administration’s push to reduce the number of international students in the U.S.

Secretary Rubio has also told embassy officials to stop booking any new visa interview appointments for students, as the government is preparing to launch a stricter social media screening process.

An official message sent to U.S. embassies said that, starting immediately, no new appointments should be made for student or exchange visitor visas (categories F, M, and J) until new instructions are shared in the coming days.