Republican bill seeks to bar 'adversarial' nations' students from US universities

Washington: A new Republican-backed bill aims to overhaul the US student visa program by barring nationals from "adversarial" countries, imposing stricter oversight, and cracking down on fraud and overstays. Texas Rep. Brandon Gill introduced the Student Visa Integrity Act on Wednesday, arguing that the current system has been exploited by fraudsters and poses national security risks.

"Studying in the United States is a privilege, not a right," Gill stated, emphasizing that the legislation would protect American interests by establishing firm visa end dates, expanding mandatory in-person interviews, and restricting transfers between academic programs. Schools and officials caught facilitating visa fraud could face prison time or exclusion from federal programs.

The bill specifically prohibits students from nations deemed adversarial, such as China and Iran, from enrolling in US institutions and requires universities to disclose any financial or institutional ties to the Chinese government. A companion Senate version, introduced by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, echoes these concerns. "I was shocked to learn how many students from hostile countries like China and Iran are studying at our American universities," Tuberville said, including in his home state.

Co-sponsored in the House by Reps. Troy Nehls and Mike Collins, the measure has support from conservative groups like the Immigration Accountability Project and Heritage Action. Proponents point to outdated tracking via the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which has not been significantly modernized despite foreign enrollment doubling from 750,000 in 2012 to over 1.5 million today. The Department of Homeland Security reported about 50,000 student visa overstays in fiscal year 2023, fueling calls for reform.

(Inputs from IANS)