Deporting international students risks making the US a less attractive destination, putting its economic engine at risk

During the 2023-2024 academic year, international students contributed $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy. Mvltcelik/Getty Images

In early April 2025, the Trump administration terminated the immigration statuses of thousands of international students listed in a government database, meaning they no longer had legal permission to be in the country. Some students self-deported instead of facing deportation.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently announced that it would reverse the terminations after courts across the country determined they did not have merit.