U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Wednesday evening that the State Department would begin "intensively canceling" visas for Chinese students, as part of broader restrictive measures against foreign students following last year's wave of pro-Palestinian campus protests demanding an end to what they termed "the genocide war on Gaza."

Key Announcements:

• New "America First" visa policies prioritizing U.S. interests over China's

• Collaboration with Homeland Security to revoke visas of:

  • Chinese Communist Party-affiliated students

  • Those studying in sensitive/critical fields

• Stricter vetting criteria for all future visa applications from:

  • Mainland China

  • Hong Kong

Direct Quotes from Rubio's Statement:
"Under President Trump's leadership, the State Department will work intensively with Homeland Security to cancel visas of Chinese students—including those tied to the CCP or studying critical technologies."

"We're implementing new visa policies that put America first... not China."

Context:
This escalation follows:

• 2023 campus protests over Gaza conflict

• Existing Proclamation 10043 (since 2020) restricting STEM students

• 32% decline in Chinese student visas since 2021 peak