Letter to US Congress backing int’l education attracts 4.2k supporters

A group of 21 international education organisations and associations from inside and outside the US have sent a letter to Congress urging it to convey to government departments the integral contributions of international students in the States.  

As of April 29, a further 4,200 advocates had sent their own letters to members of Congress, pledging their support for the campaign spearheaded by the US for Success Coalition. 

“Active in 200+ countries and territories, we generally stay out of politics. Current developments call for an exception,” wrote Edwin Van Rest, CEO of Studyportals, which co-authored the letter with the Coalition.  

Van Rest told The PIE News it was “imperative” that stakeholders speak up, both if students are treated unfairly and to champion their values and their myriad academic, cultural and economic contributions.  

“[The letter] could just as well be addressed to certain politicians in Australia, Canada and the Netherlands,” Van Rest wrote on LinkedIn, highlighting the concerning trend of politicians around the world pushing “blanket anti-immigration rhetoric or policy” that harm students, economies, soft power and world peace.  

In the Netherlands, recent advocacy efforts of industry leaders highlighting the contributions of international students saw €450 million worth of funding allocated to attracting international talent to the semiconductor industry.  

This came despite the Dutch government’s overarching policy to scale back internationalisation and highlights the effectiveness of cross-sector collaboration, said Van Rest.  

[The letter] could just as well be addressed to certain politicians in Australia, Canada and the Netherlands

Edwin Van Rest, Studyportals

“We cannot afford to close our doors to the next generation of global leaders, innovators, and allies,” wrote stakeholders, condemning Donald Trump’s hostile policies towards international students, which they claim, “do not make the US any safer”.  

The letter emphasised the many positive contributions of international students, who drive American innovation and act as global ambassadors who return home as “business partners, entrepreneurs and allies” of the US.  

Responding to Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s statement that every policy must make America “safer, stronger, and more prosperous,” the letter highlighted the economic benefits of international students, who annually contribute nearly $44bn to the US.   

What’s more, for every three international students, one US job is created, and most international students pay much higher out-of-state tuition, which helps in keeping costs down for domestic students, the letter noted.  

It follows recent Studyportals data revealing a 40% decline in postgraduate interest in the US during the first two months of Trump’s second term. 

“If students no longer come here, the United States will lose its ability to build relationships with future leaders in other countries and strengthen our own national security,” the campaign warned, adding that 70 world leaders in 58 UN countries have attended higher education institutions in the US.  

After weeks of government visa revocations and SEVIS status terminations totalling over 1,800 known cases, the sector welcomed a rare victory last week as the administration began reinstating international students’ SEVIS records in a dramatic policy U-turn.   

While the government has said it is developing a new system for managing student visas, myriad uncertainties remain – and sector leaders have emphasised the need for continued advocacy.  

The Coalition’s letter joins a chorus of educators speaking out against the government, including nearly 600 college leaders rallying behind a statement from the American Association of Colleges and Universities’ (AAC&U) condemning the “unprecedented government overreach” and “political interference” endangering institutions.  

AAC&U’s statement represents colleges and universities across the US, highlighting their commitment to serve as places where “faculty, students and staff are free to exchange ideas and opinions across a full range of viewpoints without fear of retribution, censorship, or deportation”.  

Rejecting the “coercive use of public research funding”, the leaders call for constructive engagement to improve higher education and serve the nation.  

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