The U.S. State Department will “aggressively” revoke visas for Chinese students at colleges and universities, according to a statement Wednesday night from Sec. Marco Rubio.
Rubio said the purge would include students connected to the Chinese Communist Party and those studying “critical fields,” without specifying which disciplines would be targeted. He also said he’ll revise the criteria and enhance scrutiny for future visa applications from China and Hong Kong.
About 1,400 Chinese students are enrolled at the University of Connecticut, representing almost half of the school’s total international student body, according to a spokesperson.
That’s similar to Stony Brook University, with just under 1,500 Chinese students.
“We are closely monitoring this rapidly evolving situation and remain committed to supporting all of our students," a Stony Brook University official said. Eleven international students there had their visas revoked and were quickly reinstated last month.
More than 540 international students attended Adelphi University last semester, and about 7% of them were from China, according to a spokesperson.
"We work with our international students and scholars to ensure they are in compliance with visa requirements," the spokesperson said. "We are reviewing guidance from the federal government and researching options for our current and prospective students."
