The State Department announced this week it would temporarily halt interviews abroad with foreign citizens applying for student and exchange visas, while also moving to revoke the visas for some Chinese students. Experts warn the move could severely damage the U.S. economy due to the money these students contribute to the country.
During the 2023-2024 school year, the more than 1.1 million international students who studied in the U.S. contributed nearly $44 billion to the U.S. economy, according to the nonpartisan nonprofit NAFSA, the Association of International Educators. From $10 million contributed to Alaska, to more than $6 billion in California, international students also supported more than 378,000 jobs.
