WASHINGTON — A new Trump administration policy has put the future of millions of international students in the United States at risk.
The impact of sending millions of students back to their home countries for the fall semester has an impact to both the universities bottom line and our economy.
Officials at colleges in the DMV believe the U.S. higher education system loses more than money if the international students get sent home.
The change in policy came as a result of the upcoming decision by many colleges to go fully online for the fall semester.
“(The policy is) if you will be an online school, (the students) cannot physically remain In the United States," American University’s Vice President of Campus Life Dr. Fanta Aw explained.
The reasoning for the change in guidance is to protect U.S. citizens from the pandemic, according to the Trump administration.
In the DMV, there are more than 53,000 international students.
Economically, according to the Association of International Educations, those students bring $587 million to the District. In nearby Maryland, they account for more than $796 million. In Virginia, it is more than $757 million.
Those international student dollars create 25,000 jobs throughout the DMV. But, they contribute more than just money to our economy.
"Whether it's technology, whether it's medical advancements, international students have been very much conducting major research in U.S. universities," Aw said.