Trump’s New Rule: No More Endless Student Visas

The Trump administration has announced a new plan to limit how long international students can stay in the United States. The idea is simple: no more endless student visas. If this rule goes into effect, foreign students would only be allowed to stay for a maximum of four years while they study here. That means no more sticking around for decades on the same student visa.

As a military veteran, I see the value in this move. America is a generous country. We open our doors to people from all over the world. But that generosity has been abused. Some foreign students have used the system to stay here forever—never finishing their degrees, never returning home. That’s not what student visas were meant for. A visa is not a free pass to stay here as long as you want.

Under past rules, students could stay as long as they were enrolled in school. That sounds fair, but it created a loophole. All someone had to do was keep registering for new classes to stay in the U.S. for years, even decades. These so-called “forever students” cost taxpayers money, take up space in our schools, and sometimes pose national security risks.

Let’s be clear—this isn’t about punishing foreigners who want a good education. It’s about making sure the rules are followed and that the system isn’t taken advantage of. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said it best: this rule helps us better vet and monitor who’s coming into our country and for how long.

This new rule also affects other visa holders, like foreign journalists. They would be allowed to stay for up to 240 days, with a possible extension of another 240 days. But again, the idea is simple: no more open-ended stays with no oversight.

Some college leaders worry this might hurt their schools financially. They say international students pay higher tuition and don’t take scholarships from American students. That’s true. But that doesn’t give them a free pass to live here forever without meeting the same standards we expect from our own citizens. We need to balance the books with the safety and fairness of our immigration system.

From a national security point of view, this is a smart move. As a veteran, I’ve seen how important it is to know who’s in our country and why. Our enemies don’t always wear uniforms. They sometimes come in through loopholes, like long-term student visas. Regular reviews by DHS, as this rule proposes, would help us keep tabs on who’s here and what they’re doing.

Past administrations were far too soft on this issue. They let the system become bloated and abused. President Trump is doing what should have been done long ago—putting America’s interests first. This rule would reduce federal oversight burdens, save taxpayer money, and make sure that people who come here on a student visa actually come here to study.

To be clear, this rule doesn’t ban international students. It just sets a clear limit. Four years is more than enough time to earn a degree. If you need more time, you can apply for an extension. But the days of endless student visas with no accountability are coming to an end.

That’s good news for American citizens and for anyone who believes in law and order. We can still welcome international students—but we’ll do it on our terms, not theirs. This is about protecting our country, our schools, and our future. The Trump administration is making it clear: America is not a revolving door. You’re welcome here—but only if you follow the rules.