IE Under Fire: Policy and Regulatory Practice Recap

The first quarter of 2025 saw a whirlwind of activity related to international education policy and advocacy, mostly in two areas: federal programs as well as student visa revocations and SEVIS record terminations. Here’s a quick recap of the ways the field has responded—and a look at issues we’ll likely address in the months ahead.

1. Federal investment in international education.

What happened

In mid-February, congressionally appropriated funds for study abroad and international exchange programs at the Department of State were abruptly frozen, stranding Americans all over the world and paralyzing programs such as the Fulbright Scholar Program, the Gilman Scholarship Program, and the Critical Language Scholarship Program as well as the organizations that implement them. In March, the entire staff of the International and Foreign Language Education office at the Department of Education was eliminated, threatening the future of Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs, which ensure American students gain expertise in less commonly taught languages and critical world areas while also equipping current and prospective educators with the expertise to help impart global skills to the next generation.

The response

As NAFSA has consistently asserted throughout presidential administrations, the U.S. government’s investment in international education is critically important to the country’s workforce, economic strength, and global competitiveness (download this handy PDF to make the case with your campus leaders and members of Congress). We have sent this message loudly and clearly to Congress! In coordination with the Alliance for International Exchange and the Forum on Education Abroad, advocates sent more than 25,000 messages to Congress calling for the restoration and continuation of State Department funds that were frozen in February and for the protection and funding of international education programs at the Department of Education.

This message was also delivered in person to more than 100 members of Congress by nearly 150 international educators during NAFSA’s Advocacy Day this March and amplified by coverage in major news outlets including The Washington Post, CNN, and the Associated Press. The result? Funding is again flowing to the affected State Department programs, and we have demonstrated that there is a strong core of support for federal international education and exchange programs.

What’s next

Our work is far from over! The president’s recently released budget for fiscal 2026 represents the latest blow to proven programs that Congress has authorized. The budget proposes cutting funding for the State Department’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs by 93 percent. The future of Title VI and Fulbright-Hays programs at the Department of Education is also uncertain given their complete lack of staff.

Add your voice to the continuing call to support U.S. investment in international education and exchange.

2. Student visa revocation and SEVIS record termination.

What happened

Since mid-March, reports from the field to NAFSA show that more than 1,600 students have had their visa suddenly revoked by the Department of State and/or their SEVIS record terminated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), an agency within the Department of Homeland Security. These inexplicable actions have left international students and scholars reeling, confused, and afraid—and those who support them, scrambling to make sense of the chaos.

The response

Court cases quickly followed, and litigation is having an impact. Some temporary restraining orders were granted by judges who ordered that students’ SEVIS records be reactivated. An internal document from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) that was introduced in a litigation case, however, makes it clear there is still much we don’t know about the government’s approach to handling SEVIS records and visa revocations. Adding to the confusion, NAFSA has received reports of some students having their SEVIS record re-terminated—an issue that NAFSA is now tracking. Clearly, the situation is a very fluid one, and NAFSA’s networks continue to be the best place for daily updates.

What’s next

NAFSA will continue its close collaboration with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the National Association of College and University Attorneys, the American Council on Education, the U.S. for Success Coalition, and other organizations, to support the field on this issue, and others that lie ahead. For example, we expect the legality of Optional Practical Training may again be challenged, and, given that the duration of status policy was a target during the first Trump administration, it may well be again.

What You Can Do

To stay abreast of all policy developments and ways to contribute your voice, be sure to subscribe to NAFSA’s Connecting Our World weekly newsletter. Our regular online town halls and webinars will also continue to provide timely insights and updates on the administration’s actions and their effects on the policy and regulatory practice landscape, higher education institutions, and students and scholars.  •