Advocacy Corner - EnglishUSA, v. 12

Secretary Rubio outlined the priorities and mission of the second Trump administration's Department of State.He states that "every dollar we spend, every program we fund, and every policy we pursue must be justified with the answer to three simple questions: Does it make America safer?Does it make America stronger?Does it make America more prosperous?"We are eight months into Trump 2.0 and can now see the real-world impacts that the administration's actions are having on international students, institutions, and the U.S. as a study destination.At EnglishUSA, we hear directly from member programs that visa restrictions and processing delays are having an immediate and harmful impact on English Language Programs (ELPs), while also disrupting international higher education more broadly.An Institute of International Education (IIE) survey of more than 500 institutions found that 35 percent reported declines in international applications last spring.Research from NAFSA: Association of International Educators and JB International projects a 30-40 percent drop in new international student enrollment this fall, translating into a 15 percent reduction overall, $7 billion in lost revenue, and more than 60,000 fewer jobs.As NAFSA CEO Dr. Fanta Aw noted in Forbes, these trends reflect how "restrictive policies and visa issuance uncertainties are having an undeniably negative effect on international students' perception of this country as a desirable destination to study, conduct research, or start a business."