Esther Brimmer, the executive director and CEO of NAFSA, said in a March 15 press release that in the past people have agreed that international students and scholars are one of America’s greatest foreign policy assets.

“If the (Trump) administration imposes restrictions that will further prohibit students and scholars from choosing the United States as their destination, we will suffer devastating impacts for decades to come,” she said.

Brimmer said the United States is beginning to see a decrease in international student enrollment from certain nations. The IIE noted South Korea’s percentage dropped 3.8 percent, Saudi Arabia 14.2 percent and Brazil 32.4 percent from the 2015-16 academic year to the 2016-17 academic year.

“In order to avoid a further chilling effect in the United States, it is incumbent upon policy leaders to act boldly and decisively to let students know they are welcome here and that we value their contributions,” she said.

Brimmer said Chinese students alone contributed $12 billion to the economy, along with other benefits, and that even a modest reduction in Chinese enrollment would be devastating, with virtually every community feeling the impact.

“International students and scholars create jobs, drive research, enrich our classrooms, strengthen national security and are America’s best ambassadors and allies,” she said. “Students should never be used as bargaining chips, and we cannot afford to lose this valuable resource.”

This potential proposal would join with the proposed tariffs the White House announced in a Thursday press release. The proposed 25 percent additional tariffs on certain products will go to public comment before being drafted into legislation, which the president has said will benefit American workers.

“Under my administration, the theft of American prosperity will end,” Trump said. “We’re going to defend our industry and create a level playing field for the American worker – finally.”

@CBlakeWeaver

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