The purpose of the Trump administration to reduce immigration

The current administration of the US, headed by President Donald Trump, has a fairly strict stance when it comes to the immigration sector, including legal immigration. The Trump administration’s ideal has always been to reduce the number of foreigners entering the country annually in order to protect the employment of American citizens, as well as local sovereignty and resources.

Therefore, in recent years, the Trump government has focused on reducing opportunities for immigrants, as well as increasing restrictions and requirements for foreigners who follow legal processes related to employment, study or family ties.

Adding to that, the sudden arrival of the global Coronavirus pandemic undoubtedly contributed to the Trump administration having the opportunity to restrict immigration, mainly because under a threat to public health, governments can implement emergency measures to protect the local population. However, the Trump administration used this tool to substantially curb immigration in the US, despite countless criticisms it received.

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The Trump administration and the student immigration sector

The current administration of the US has always stated that mass immigration is bad for local workers. For instance, speaking specifically about the education sector, the Trump government claims that international students tend to stay in the country and fill jobs that should be available to American citizens.

Therefore, his government has tried to restrict student immigration, increasing restrictions for international students, mainly after the arrival of the global Coronavirus pandemic. Let’s see some examples:

• In July 2020, the Trump administration stated that foreign students could not attend only virtual classes during the fall or could face deportation proceedings. His government revoked this official order within days of proposing it.
• In September, the Trump administration stated that foreign students will have visas with a fixed time period (two to four years), instead of “duration of status”, which substantially increases the difficulty for those who do not manage to finish their studies during that period of time and could cause saturation of the local immigration system.

Enrollment of foreign students drops considerably

The Institute of International Education (IIE) releases an annual report called Open Doors, which details the enrollment of international students in the US.

During the 2019-20 period, before the massive outbreak of Coronavirus in the North American territory, student immigration decreased by 1.8% compared to the previous year, which is the lowest figure since 2003. Adding to that, during the 2018-19 period, the number of foreign students enrolled in American schools and universities only increased by 0.05%, the lowest figure since 2006.

The study concludes that, apart from the health crisis, policies of the Trump administration have caused thousands of foreign students to choose other destinations to complete their higher education, which could have truly negative repercussions for the US since their investment is approximately $41 billion annually.

Adding to that, experts and recognized institutions such as Harvard ensure that foreign students not only invest economically in the education sector, but also bring talent, innovation, dedication and inspiration, which contributes to the growth and development of the local market.

Motion Law can guide you through your immigration journey

If you have any questions about an immigration issue or relating to a case you may have currently in progress, then please don’t hesitate to contact us for a FREE Phone Consultation with one of our expert immigration attorneys.

Simply call Motion Law today at: (202) 918-1799.