EXCLUSIVE: GOP Proposal Targets Fraud, Security Gaps In Student Visa Program

A new House proposal aims to crack down on abuses of the student visa system, including by imposing tougher penalties on administrators and institutions found responsible for visa fraud.

The “Student Visa Integrity Act,” introduced by Rep. Brandon Gill (R-TX), would tighten visa expiration dates and require in-person interviews for visa extensions for applicants from countries considered sponsors of terrorism or that are in programs otherwise deemed high national security risks.

Under the proposal, students from state sponsors of terrorism, nations with an overstay rate of 10% or higher, or institutions that do not use E-Verify would be limited to a maximum student visa term of two years.

“Studying in the United States is a privilege, not a right,” Gill told The Daily Wire. “Unfortunately, a system intended to spread the American dream has been abused by fraudsters and bad actors. My bill restores integrity to a system that has been exploited for decades by protecting national security, enforcing immigration law, and ensuring the student visa program serves America’s interests.”

Gill’s proposal would also require educational institutions and affiliated organizations to disclose any financial links to China. In addition, the bill would set new limits on foreign students wanting to transfer between schools.

The bill also empowers the Department of Homeland Security to reject student visa applicants from “countries of concern” if the applicant could pose a future national security risk to the United States. That includes individuals seeking to work in “the energy sector of Iran” or to “participate in coursework or training relating to or otherwise engage in flight training, aviation maintenance, or flight operations.”

Under President Donald Trump, the State Department revoked roughly 100,000 visas in 2025, according to Fox News. The outlet noted that 8,000 of those were student visas.

According to a 2024 report from Immigration and Customs Enforcement, just under 1.6 million individuals were “active” students in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The report noted a 5.3% increase from 2023, with Asia as the most common “continent of origin.”

Roughly 50,000 people may have overstayed their student and exchange visa as of fiscal year 2023, a DHS report at the time revealed.