A bill introduced in the Senate is proposing stricter monitoring of foreign students and staff at universities, this has sparked concern among academic groups, with critics warning that the move could increase scrutiny of international students a large contingent of whom are Indians.
As per the latest Open Doors report (covering 2024-25 academic year), India with 3.6 lakh students remains the largest source country, followed by China with 2.6 lakh students. Together, these two countries account for more than half of all international students in the US, which had touched a figure of 11.7 lakh.
The proposed ‘Educational Visa Transparency Act, 2026′, would require all higher-education institutions receiving federal funding to regularly submit detailed information about non-US citizens studying or working on campus to the government agencies.
Under the bill, universities would have to electronically provide the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) with a complete list of all students, faculty members and administrators who are not US citizens or lawful permanent residents, along with the type of visa they hold. The data would be accessible to the Department of Homeland Security, Department of State, Department of Justice and Department of Education.
The legislation was introduced by Republican Senator Tom Cotton, who said the measure is intended to strengthen oversight of foreign nationals in American universities and protect sensitive research.
In a statement announcing the bill, Cotton said the proposal would expand existing visa-tracking rules and ensure that federal agencies have accurate information about foreign students and staff in US institutions.
“Unmonitored foreign nationals in the labs and research centers of our colleges and universities pose a grave national security threat. My bill will require tracking all student and faculty visas to ensure foreign nationals aren’t stealing valuable research,” he said.
Critics argue it could create additional administrative burdens for universities and raise concerns about privacy and academic freedom.
The bill has been introduced in the Senate and must be approved by both chambers of Congress before becoming law. Immigration experts say the final provisions of the bill could change during the legislative process, but the proposal reflects growing political focus in the US on tighter oversight of foreign students and researchers.
