The Trump administration announced a probe into whether Stanford, Caltech, UC Davis and other universities are overusing J-1 visas to undercut American researchers’ wages. This action is among a broader set of policies targeting international students and foreign workers, including a proposed $70,000 fee for post-graduation work.

Experts say the policies will likely hurt the economy over time, with a NAFSA (Association of International Educators) analysis estimating a drop of 111,000 international students in 2026.

“It’s only going to probably hurt some companies and hurt the best and the brightest that are coming here,” Devashish Mitra, Gerald B. and Daphna Cramer Professor of Global Affairs, tells the Los Angeles Times. “It’s like throwing the baby with the bathwater.”

In the PBS article, “How the Trump administration's crackdown on international students could affect the economy,” Mitra says, international students and workers also support the economy beyond their universities or workplaces. By living in the U.S., foreign students and workers create jobs as they buy goods and services.