Latest news with #USImmigration
South China Morning Post
5 hours ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong students say US visa changes could fuel tensions with China, deter global talent
Before you read: Many Hong Kong youth looking to study in the United States have been caught up in the turbulence of the country's visa changes. In late May, US officials announced they would begin 'aggressively' revoking visas issued to Chinese students – but the president has since seemed to reverse course. Think about it: What would be the impact if the US revoked visas for all international students? Some Hong Kong students have criticised the erratic changes in US visa policy for Chinese students, warning that the move could deter global talent and ultimately cause the country to lose its edge in innovation. On May 28, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the government would begin 'aggressively' revoking visas issued to Chinese students and increasing scrutiny of future applications from mainland China and Hong Kong. The administration cited national security concerns, claiming that students and researchers from Chinese institutions could act as spies or facilitate propaganda and intellectual property theft. But a few weeks later, US President Donald Trump seemed to distance himself from these initiatives by stating his support for Chinese students in America. United States resumes foreign students' visa process but only if they unlock social media 'I've always been strongly in favour of it. I think it's a great thing,' Trump said about Chinese nationals seeking to study in the US. After suspending new student visa interviews in late May, the US State Department said last week that it would restart the process but would require all applicants to unlock their social media accounts for government review. Despite the recent change in tone, students are still sceptical of the administration's long-term priorities. Like others around the world, many students in Hong Kong hoping to start university in the United States this year have been stuck in limbo. 'For many, this delay [meant] ... putting their dreams on pause or even changing course entirely,' said Mandy*, a secondary school student in Hong Kong. 'Hesitant' Hongkongers worry Trump has shattered dreams of studying in US The worst part, she said, was not rejection but uncertainty. Mandy described the recent shifts in US policy as a betrayal of the country's long-standing image as a leader in education and opportunity. 'The bitter irony is that America is voluntarily giving up its position as the world's top academic beacon,' she said. 'The American dream has literally become an American nightmare.' She argued that any extra scrutiny for students from Hong Kong and mainland China would be damaging not only to the students affected but to the future of the US. 'For years, Hong Kong students have contributed to American campuses, bringing diversity, fresh ideas and ... [income] in tuition and living expenses,' Mandy said. 'Many stay after graduation to build careers and bridges between Hong Kong and the US, while others return home, bringing valuable knowledge and experiences that help our city grow and connect globally.' US President Trump suspends new Chinese and other foreign student visas at Harvard In the academic year 2023-24, more than 277,000 Chinese citizens were studying in the US – accounting for nearly 25 per cent of all international students in the United States, according to the US State Department's Open Doors report. China had long been the country's largest source of international students and was only recently overtaken by India. Chinese students have been praised for their contributions to research, industry and university revenue. A Year Nine student, who preferred to use only her given name, Tiffany, said these moves were 'highly harmful' to US innovation and diplomacy, saying students were unfairly caught in the geopolitical crossfire. In the last academic year, there were more than 277,000 Chinese citizens studying in the United States – accounting for nearly 25 per cent of all international students in the country. /AFP 'Alienating Chinese students further fuels political tensions and discourages collaboration,' said the 14-year-old student at an international school in Hong Kong. 'It's also counterproductive to legitimate security concerns ... as it only fosters mistrust and potential retaliation.' Tiffany cautioned that the recent visa volatility could backfire on the US by pushing top talent to countries like the United Kingdom and Canada. '[It] doesn't just mean losing brilliant minds,' she said, 'but also losing technological progress and ... economic contributions.' * Name changed at interviewee's request.
The Guardian
11 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Trump news at a glance: President mulls whether ‘bunker busters' can destroy Iranian nuclear site
Will he or won't he? That's the question many are asking regarding whether Donald Trump will join Israel's attacks on Iran and take out one of its most difficult targets: the Fordow nuclear enrichment site. But another question has arisen. Can he? Trump signalled on Thursday that he will take two weeks to decide whether or not to strike. Guardian reporting suggests he is not fully convinced the US Massive Ordnance Penetrator bombs – better known as 'bunker busters' – will effectively destroy Fordow, built deep into a mountain south of Tehran. That the 13.6-tonne bomb could fall short of that goal is a concern that some military analysts have echoed. But it's a coveted target for Israel, which has already destroyed some of Iran's nuclear capability but lacks the powerful bombs and aircraft to do any real damage to the secretive site. The US is the only country in the world to possess bunker busters and only US aircraft can deliver them. Trump has set a two-week deadline to decide whether the US will join Israel's war with Iran, allowing time to seek a negotiated end to the conflict, the White House has said. The president also denied a report by the Wall Street Journal that he told senior aides he had approved attack plans but was delaying on giving the final order to see if Tehran would abandon its nuclear program. The report cited three anonymous officials. Read the full story The Los Angeles Dodgers said they blocked US immigration enforcement agents from accessing the parking lot at Dodger Stadium on Thursday and got into public back-and-forth statements with Ice and the Department of Homeland Security, which denied their agents were ever there. Read the full story The Department of Homeland Security is now requiring lawmakers to provide 72 hours of notice before visiting detention centers, according to new guidance. The guidance comes after a slew of tense visits from Democratic lawmakers to detention centers amid Trump's crackdowns in immigrant communities across the country. Read the full story A federal judge on Thursday blocked Trump's administration from forcing 20 Democratic-led states to cooperate with immigration enforcement in order to receive billions of dollars in transportation grant funding. Chief US district judge John McConnell in Providence, Rhode Island, granted the states' request for an injunction barring the Department for Transportation's policy, saying the states were likely to succeed on the merits of some or all of their claims. Read the full story The office of the US defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, requested 'a passive approach to Juneteenth messaging', according to an exclusive Rolling Stone report citing a Pentagon email. The messaging request for Juneteenth – a federal holiday commemorating when enslaved Black people in Galveston, Texas, learned they were free – was transmitted by the Pentagon's office of the chief of public affairs. This office said it was not poised to publish web content related to Juneteenth, Rolling Stone reported. Read the full story Depending on who you ask, between 4 and 6 million people showed up to last weekend's 'No Kings' protests. Now the real number is becoming clearer, with one estimate suggesting that Saturday was among the biggest. Read the full story Karen Bass, a 71-year-old former community organizer, is leading Los Angeles' response to an extraordinary confrontation staged by the federal government, as federal agents have raided workplaces and parking lots, arresting immigrant workers in ways family members have compared to 'kidnappings'. Here's what to know about the mayor of Los Angeles. Read the full story Friends and family of Moises Sotelo, a well-known vineyard manager, say they are 'disappointed and disgusted' after he was detained outside the Oregon church he attends. Brad Lander, the New York mayoral candidate arrested by Ice says 'Trump is looking to stoke conflict, weaponize fear'. What is Donald Trump's plan for Iran? The Guardian's Rachel Leingang and Andrew Roth discuss in the Politics Weekly America podcast. Also, this Today in Focus episode explores what Israel's new war means for Gaza. Catching up? Here's what happened on 18 June 2025.
Asharq Al-Awsat
6 days ago
- Sport
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Boca Juniors Defender Costa Gets Special US Visa for Club World Cup
Boca Juniors defender Ayrton Costa will be able to take part in the Club World Cup in the United States following a u-turn by US immigration officials who had previously rejected his visa application, the Argentine club said on Friday. "Ayrton Costa has been granted a 26-day special visa," a club spokesperson told Reuters. Costa's visa application was subject to a criminal complaint in his native Argentina, relating to an aggravated robbery in 2018, which he avoided trial for by accepting a probationary sentence in 2023. However, US officials previously ruled that he could not enter the country as he was still serving his sentence. The press office at the US embassy in Argentina told Reuters that they cannot discuss individual visa applications. Boca Juniors will open the tournament in Miami on Monday against Portuguese side Benfica.
Bloomberg
05-06-2025
- Health
- Bloomberg
ICE Is Seeking to DNA-Test Families Targeted for Deportation
The Trump administration is seeking a contract worth up to $25 million to DNA-test families targeted for deportation by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Advocates worry that such tests could be used to separate children from their caregivers, which can include non-biological family like godparents. Some also raised concern of a potentially broader plan by the administration to collect genetics data at US borders for other purposes, like criminal investigations. This is not the first time ICE has contracted with a private company on a DNA testing program, Rachel Adams-Heard and Fola Akinnibi report. Today on CityLab:
BBC News
05-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
President Trump bans people from some countries from travelling to USA
US President Donald Trump has signed a ban on travel to the United States for citizens from twelve mostly African and Asian by people from seven other countries will be restricted in Trump says the ban, which comes into effect next week, would keep America human rights groups have criticised his plans, calling them "cruel," and some experts say it is likely to be challenged in US is the second time President Trump he has ordered a ban on travel from certain countries - he signed a similar order in 2017, during his first term in office. What has Donald Trump announced? From 9 June, citizens from 12 countries will be blocked from travelling to the countries are Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Nationals from another seven countries - Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela - will face a partial there are a few situations when the new rules won't include some dual citizens - people who are citizens of two countries at the same time - as well as for athletes travelling to America to compete in major sporting tournaments are due to be held in the US over the next few years including the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics in Los order also says the American government may grant exemptions on a "case-by-case" White House said these were "common sense restrictions" which would "protect Americans" and help keep the country US president made immigration a big issue in last year's election campaign. What has the reaction been to the ban? Sone people and organisations have criticised President Trump's plan and it is expected to be challenged in from President Trump's rival Democratic Party in the US said the ban "betrayed" the ideals of the USA's founders and warned it would "only further isolate" America on the world rights groups have also spoken out against the International USA described it as "discriminatory, racist, and downright cruel." There has also been reaction from some of the countries named in President Trump's promised to work with the United States to address any security Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello warned that "being in the United States is a great risk for anyone, not just for Venezuelans." Has this happened before? President Trump ordered a similar travel ban during his first term in the White House in featured some of the same countries as his latest order, including Iran, Libya and gathered at airports around the US to protest against the ban, including lawyers who offered their services for free to help those 2021, when Joe Biden became US President after Donald Trump, he scrapped the travel ban.
