The Trump administration’s effort to remove college students from foreign countries over their political protests may ostracize a group that brings a lot of money into the U.S., according to The Hill.
The outlet pointed to an estimated 1.1 million foreign students contributing as much as $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy, characterizing that as a “key economic influx.”
The Hill reported many Republican U.S. senators do not appear concerned about the economics as they are the foundational issue of antisemitism and racism. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told The Hill, “They can be” an asset to the U.S. economy. But Cruz continued that his support of the administrations higher education protest crackdown is more important.
“I hope it has a chilling effect on antisemites and racists and those who would engage in violent harassment from coming to this country. I’d like all of them to stay away and those who are here to promptly go home to their own countries and not threaten Americans here at home.”
The report from The Hill notes more than 300 foreign student visa cancellations, although the State Department did not clarify exactly how many are college students. Based on the numbers, that might account for a drop of about $12 million if those people do not return to the U.S. That is not a significant impact compared to the overall spending estimated at $43.8 billion, at well under 1%.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the overriding issue on Friday with reporters at NATO Headquarters in Belgium. “If you’re coming here (U.S.) to create problems, you’re probably going to have a problem. Yeah, we’re not going to continue to be stupid enough to let people into our country who are coming here to tear things up. Not going happen.”
The Hill reported that academic groups suing the government over student deportations said the Trump administration created an “environment” terrorizing students and faculty for their exercise of First Amendment rights in the past, intimidating them from exercising those rights now, and silencing political viewpoints that the government disfavors.” They assert potential students may go elsewhere because of the claimed intimidation.
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