May, June, and July mark the busiest months of the year for international students. May is the deadline to choose a college. Then begins a whirlwind: assembling financial documentation, scheduling and preparing for visa interviews, hoping for approval, and ultimately planning to leave home, often for the first time, to study thousands of miles away in an unfamiliar land.
These students don’t take this leap lightly. They come to the United States for a world-class education and the chance to build a better future. Their dreams mirror those of domestic children who leave home for college, but their journey is far more complicated.
Unfortunately, the administration’s agenda and immigration policies ignore the critical role of international students. International students are not just educational contributors, they are a strategic national resource. The countries that attract, educate, and retain global talent will lead the 21st century. Disrupting the flow of international students doesn’t just hurt higher education, it benefits our global competitors, especially China.
We have written extensively on these topics over the last several months, but we feel it is important to summarize the value and contributions — clearly evident in the data — of how international students contribute to the US. At Shorelight, we understand the stakes:
Even temporary disruptions in international student flow can cause cascading damage to our educational system, innovation pipeline, and national security.
Critical US industries, especially those essential to economic competitiveness and national security, depend on international talent.
Without sustained access to global STEM talent, we face a growing deficit in the industries that define the future.
Competitors like China are aggressively recruiting the very scientists, engineers, researchers, and entrepreneurs who have historically chosen the United States.
The Data Tells the Story
70% of full-time graduate students in AI-related fields at US universities are international.
71% of full-time graduate students in computer and information sciences — the pipeline for AI researchers — come from abroad.
More than half of “ready-to-work” STEM talent in the US is international, with most graduates coming from India and China.
65% of the top US AI companies were founded or cofounded by immigrants.
77% of leading US-based AI companies were founded by immigrants or their children.
42% of top US-based AI companies had a founder who first came to the US as an international student.
Immigrants have started more than half (55%) of America’s billion-dollar startup companies.
A Trade Surplus We Should Protect
International students also represent a powerful economic engine:
The US maintains a $56 billion trade surplus from international student enrollment.
In fact, last year, the US sold more educational services to the world than it sold in natural gas and coal combined (Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis).
Education is one of our most competitive exports — and unlike manufacturing or energy, it’s a sector built on values, people, and long-term relationships.
For every American student abroad, three international students come to study here. That’s a net gain with long-lasting global returns.
Public Sentiment Isn’t on the Administration’s Side
Polling shows strong bipartisan support for international students and concerns about the administration’s approach:
Only 22% of the public believes the president should control whether universities can enroll foreign students.
61% oppose giving the president that power, including 89% of Democrats and 59% of Independents.
Even among Republicans, just 22% of traditional conservatives support presidential control over enrollment (compared to 60% of MAGA voters).
Support for government monitoring of international students’ social media is mixed: 40% oppose and only 33% support. Among Republicans, the divide between MAGA (62% support) and traditional conservatives (41%) is stark.
Approval of the administration’s performance:
On trade: 38% approve, 57% disapprove
On higher education: 37% approve, 54% disapprove
A Call for Strategic Vision
We cannot afford to treat international students as a threat in our immigration or higher education policy. Understanding the importance of legal immigration and the global competition for talent should be a national priority.
The administration’s recent executive actions suggest otherwise. If we continue down this path, we risk losing one of our greatest competitive advantages — and handing it to our rivals.
Let’s get this right. The future of America’s economy, innovation, and global leadership depends on it.
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