As we pass the six-month mark of the new administration, our team wanted to provide a summary of key actions taken since January that directly affect US universities and international students. President Trump entered office with a clear agenda to reform higher education and immigration, and he moved quickly through executive orders and policy changes to begin implementing his vision.
Executive Orders with the Greatest Impact
Enhanced visa vetting
Changes to the Foreign Affairs Manual
Broad review of all visa programs
2. Protecting the American People Against Invasion
Focus on “recalcitrant” countries
Introduction of visa bonds and penalties
3. Additional Measures to Combat Anti-Semitism
Threats of decertifying schools
Use of social media in student screening
Directly led to over 1,500 visa revocations and SEVIS terminations
Other Executive Orders Aimed at Education
Transparency Regarding Foreign Influence at American Universities
Initiatives Promoting Outcomes at HBCUs and Education Decentralization
Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities
ADVANCING ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE EDUCATION FOR AMERICAN YOUTH
Key Actions & Impacts
Visa Revocations and SEVIS Terminations: In April, over 1,500 student visas were revoked, and SEVIS records terminated, sparking chaos nationwide. Many students were detained or deported without due process. After significant legal challenges and public outcry, most records were reinstated, and courts overwhelmingly sided with students.
Targeting of Specific Universities: Columbia and Harvard were directly targeted. In Harvard’s case, the administration continues to threaten decertification in their ongoing fight. Courts have so far ruled in favor of the university, allowing international students to remain in status, but legal challenges continue. Harvard is also working on contingency plans to ensure their international students can continue their degree studies.
Visa Appointment Pause: At the end of May, the State Department paused all student visa appointments for nearly a month to implement new social media vetting procedures. This occurred at the most critical point in the visa cycle — May and June — and could significantly impact Fall 2025 enrollment. India and China, two key source countries, are still only partially reopened.
New Social Media Screening Requirements: Students are now being told to make all social media accounts public. It remains unclear whether reviews are being done before interviews, at the visa window, or during administrative processing. Processing delays are increasing, with average administrative review wait times now around 10 days.
Duration of Stay Rule Change Expected: The administration is revisiting a proposal from its first term to change international students’ stay from “duration of status” to a fixed “duration of stay” tied to their I-20. The proposed rule is currently under review by OMB and may be introduced shortly, potentially with a 90-day public comment window. In the first administration, this proposed rule received approximately 30k comments; the vast majority opposed the rule.
Reciprocity Review & Visa Validity Changes: The State Department recently completed a global visa reciprocity review. Dozens of countries — including Nigeria and Ghana — now face reduced visa validity periods (e.g., from 60 months to 30 months, single entry). These changes also introduced new or adjusted visa fees.
Visa Integrity Fee – What We Know So Far: Included in the final passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is a new $250 Visa Integrity Fee for international students, effective in 2026. The fee functions similarly to a bond students may be eligible for a refund upon timely departure from the US. Details on how the fee will be administered and refunded are still emerging. Our team is monitoring developments closely and will provide updates as more information becomes available.
Travel Bans: In June, the Trump administration announced full travel bans on 12 countries and partial bans on seven others, citing national security concerns. Additionally, 36 more countries are currently under a 60-day review for potential future restrictions.
Fully banned countries:
Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Yemen
Partially banned countries:
Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, Venezuela
Countries under 60-day review:
Angola, Antigua and Barbuda, Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominica, Ethiopia, Egypt, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Malawi, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, South Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Looking Ahead
Although the pace of executive orders has slowed, the cumulative impact of these changes is significant — and ongoing. The combined effects of visa revocations, policy reversals, slowed consular operations, and heightened scrutiny have disrupted the international student pipeline and left many institutions and students in a state of uncertainty.
Our team continues to monitor developments and advocate for policies that support student access and institutional stability. Please reach out with any questions.
