The Trump administration is set to limit the length of visas for foreign students and media workers in the United States.
In a statement on Wednesday, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that, when implemented, the new rule would restrict the amount of time that certain visa holders, including foreign students, would be permitted to remain in the United States.
Foreign students (F visa holders) have been admitted since 1978 under an unlimited duration period referred to as "duration of status." In contrast to other visas, individuals with this status are permitted to stay in the US without end without further screening or vetting, the DHS stated.
The administration alleged that foreign students have taken advantage of the "US generosity" by being "forever" students, repeatedly enrolled in higher education programs to stay in the US.
For far too long, previous administrations have enabled foreign students and other visa holders to stay in the US essentially forever, creating safety concerns, costing taxpayers untold millions of dollars, and putting US citizens at a disadvantage," a DHS spokesperson stated.
"This new proposed rule would put an end to that abuse once and for all by curbing the length of time certain visa holders can stay in the US," the spokesperson continued.
For foreign media representatives, who presently are in the US on a five-year valid I visa and can extend it many times, the new rule would limit the period of initial admission to 240 days. Extensions would similarly be at 240 days and cannot outlast the duration of the temporary activity or assignment.
Under the new policy, foreign students and exchange visitors would be granted legitimate admission and extension periods corresponding to the length of their programs, with a limit of four years.
Furthermore, having fixed admission periods for foreign students, exchange visitors, and the media would have them apply to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for extensions so that DHS would have the ability to review and evaluate regularly whether they should stay longer in the country.
This regulation was first proposed in 2020 during President Trump's time in office but was withdrawn by the Biden administration in 2021.
Independently, the Trump administration will reform the H1B visa program, much desired by Indian IT workers, and reform the Green Card process, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick stated.
"I'm involved in re-making the H1B programme. We're going to re-make that programme, because that's horrific," Lutnick was quoted by Fox News as saying during an interview on Tuesday.
He also said the administration would reform the process for issuing Green Cards, which provide permanent residence in the US.
The announcement is made at a time when there is tension between the US and India, after the Trump administration imposed a 50 percent tariff on India for buying Russian oil, which became effective on Wednesday.
