Yingyi Ma Talks to South China Morning Post on U.S. Policies and Chinese International Students

July 26, 2026

The South China Morning Post

Yingyi Ma

Sociology Department

Center for Policy Research

East Asia Program

China

Federal Government

International Affairs

U.S. Education

United States

The South China Morning Post

Yingyi Ma

Tightening visa rules and high-profile examples of interactions with ICE are causing Chinese international students to reconsider plans to study in the United States. Yingyi Ma, professor of sociology, has observed the impact of this trend and believes policy shifts under President Trump have affected the confidence Chinese families have in the U.S. educational experience and the opportunities it can provide after graduation. Ma tells the South China Morning Post, “We have seen some signals, such as a stronger willingness among some Chinese students to return to China, and an overall decline in the number of Chinese students going to the US.”

Read more in the South China Morning Post article, “Fake ICE raids and kidnapping drills: how Chinese teens prepare for US college.”