President Donald Trump’s administration has finalised new rules imposing stricter limits on how long foreign students and journalists can remain in the United States.

The rules, finalised on Thursday, form part of the administration’s broader immigration crackdown, which has targeted both illegal immigration and legal pathways into the country.

Under the new policy, which could take effect as early as September, foreign nationals on student visas will be admitted only for the duration of their academic programmes, subject to a maximum stay of four years.

Foreign journalists will be limited to an initial stay of 240 days, or about eight months. They may apply for extensions in additional 240-day periods.

However, Chinese journalists will face a stricter limit of only 90 days.

The Department of Homeland Security had proposed the rules in August 2025 and received nearly 22,000 public comments before finalising the policy largely unchanged.

When the proposal was introduced, DHS argued that some foreign nationals had been using the existing open-ended student visa system to remain in the country indefinitely as “forever students.”

The department said the system, which had been in place for students since the late 1970s, limited its ability to properly monitor visa holders.

The United States remains the world’s top destination for international students, welcoming more than 1.1 million foreign students in the 2023–2024 academic year.

Official data also showed that international students contributed more than $50 billion to the US economy in 2023.

Higher education groups criticised the new rules, warning that the restrictions would create unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles and discourage talented foreign students from studying in the United States.

The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration said the policy would weaken the ability of American colleges and universities to attract top international talent.

Universities have already reported lower international enrolment following earlier actions by the Trump administration, including the revocation of thousands of student visas and the suspension of billions of dollars in federal research funding.

Media organisations and international stakeholders, including the Embassy of Japan, also urged DHS to allow foreign correspondents to remain in the US for periods ranging from two to five years when posted to American bureaus.

DHS rejected those proposals, as well as requests for expedited processing and capped fees for journalists seeking extensions.

Trump had proposed similar restrictions at the end of his first term, but the plan was later scrapped by his successor, Joe Biden.

The newly finalised rule is still subject to review by the Republican-led Congress.

Follow Our WhatsApp Channel _______________________________________________________________________ LAWBREED NEW WIG SPECIAL OFFER — Give a newly called lawyer a lasting professional gift. Get up to 20% off selected LAWBREED Supreme Court Reports, plus access to My S.C Extra, featuring Supreme Court judgments from 1972 to date. Call/WhatsApp: 08077011741 | 08077011755 | 08077011730 | 08023269613 Email: orders@lawbreed.com | mails@lawbreed.com LAWBREED — Equipping You For Greater Success! _______________________________________________________________________

“Order Justice Omolaye-Ajileye’s Electronic Evidence Books Now” — Essential Guides On Evidence Act, Case Law And Digital Proof

Two leading books on electronic evidence by Hon. Justice Professor Alaba Omolaye-Ajileye, Rtd., PhD, FICMC, are now available for purchase. The publications, Electronic Evidence (Second Edition), With The Evidence Act, 2011 and Compendium Of Cases On Electronic Evidence, Volume II, 2020–2025, provide practical guidance, legal analysis and recent judicial authorities on electronic evidence in Nigeria.Order directly from the author here: https://velvety-cendol-7387ed.netlify.app/ _______________________________________________________________________

[A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials

“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.

Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

______________________________________________________________________ Groundbreaking Guide For Lawyers: Adigwe Publishes ‘Artificial Intelligence For Lawyers’ With Free Research eBook As an added bonus, every purchase comes with a FREE ebook titled: “How to use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion.” Ohio Books Ltd praises the publication, stating: "....this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic." How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌎 Website: www.benadigwe.com Ebook Version: Access it directly online at https://selar.com/prv626 Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe Esq., ACiarb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director at the Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria.