Tuberville Introduces “Student Visa Integrity Act” to Block Chinese, Iranian, Other Students from Adversarial Nations from U.S. Schools

U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R‑AL) has introduced the Student Visa Integrity Act of 2025, a bill that will block students from countries deemed adversarial to America from studying here.

On Mornings with Maria, Tuberville said he was “shocked to learn how many students from hostile countries like China and Iran are studying at our American universities—including in my home state of Alabama.” He added, “We need to go on offense against countries who hate us … There is zero reason why we should be allowing students from countries that hate us to take the spot of a law‑abiding American citizen at our elite colleges and universities.”

According to the latest IIE Open Doors report, the U.S. hosted a record 1.13 million international students in the 2023–2024 year, contributing over $50 billion to the economy. China, though second in numbers at 277,398 students, remains a major source of foreign students.

For the first time since 2009, India became the top country of origin, with a 35 percent increase in Indian students. India sent 331,602 international students to pursue higher education in the United States in 2023/2024

Key provisions of the bill include:

• Banning citizens from countries such as China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela—plus any others deemed adversarial—from studying in the U.S.
• Requiring schools to disclose any relationships with the Chinese government
• Blocking international students from transferring schools or changing majors or programs
• Toughening penalties for visa fraud, potentially including prison time and removal from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program
• Ending indefinite visas by setting a clear end date for student visas and mandating in‑person interviews for some applicants

Tuberville said the bill will to curb abuse of the student visa system and restore American students to the “front seat” in higher education.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), Immigration Accountability Project, and Heritage Action have all endorsed Senator Tuberville’s legislation.

“The Student Visa Integrity Act makes it clear: a student visa is a privilege, not a right.  Visas provide foreign nationals a special opportunity to study in the United States before returning home – not a free pass to exploit our laws or remain indefinitely in the country. FAIR is proud to support this bill and applauds Senator Tuberville for fighting to prevent student visa abuse, uphold our laws, and keep American communities safe,” said Joe Chatham, Director of Government Relations for FAIR.

“The student visa program has been plagued with fraud and abuse for decades, and reforms are long overdue. The Student Visa Integrity Act of 2025 would help restore integrity to the program, ending open-ended ‘duration of status’ for foreign students, increasing penalties for program abuse, and closing significant national security loopholes exploited by our foreign adversaries. The Immigration Accountability Project is thankful to Senator Tuberville for introducing this vital effort,” said Grant Newman, Director of Government Relations for Immigration Accountability Project.

“China and other adversarial countries pose a direct threat to the United States, our schools, educators, and our students. The Student Visa Integrity Act would protect American educational institutions from foreign influence. Heritage Action has worked tirelessly to promote legislation that protects our education system from destructive foreign adversaries. We are committed to this goal and applaud Senator Tuberville for introducing the Student Visa Integrity Act,” said Steve Chartan, Vice President of Government Relations for Heritage Action.

Troy University, which promotes itself as “Alabama’s International University,” has a large international population. Though 2025 figures are not yet out, a November 2024 report listed the top ten countries sending students to Troy—including China, Nepal, India, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Japan, France, Nigeria, the Bahamas, and the Republic of Korea.

In response to the bill, Troy released a statement (as reported by the Troy Messenger) that said:

“Troy University officials are aware of recently proposed federal legislation that would restrict student visas for individuals from certain nations,” the statement read. “We are closely monitoring its progress. We fully support all efforts that protect national security and ensure the integrity of our immigration system. At the same time, we recognize the vital contributions international students can make to our university, our state, and our nation — whether in business, medicine, technology, or other critical fields.”

Critics of the bill warn sweeping restrictions risk disrupting higher education and broader economic ties. A recent report labeled aggressive visa revocations as “short‑sighted,” noting that Chinese students alone accounted for more than a quarter of all international students in 2023–2024—and that their full‑tuition payments are vital to many institutions.

The full text of the Student Visa Integrity Act is HERE.

Watch Sen. Tuberville on Morning with Maria on YouTube, Rumble or below: