47TH PRESIDENTIAL ADMINISTRATION
THE LATEST
New ECA Assistant Secretary confirmed
On Monday, May 18, Catherine Dillon was confirmed by the Senate as the new Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). Assistant Secretary Dillon was confirmed 46-43 as part of a group of 49 nominations.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE UPDATES
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The What: The Department of State announced that starting March 30, it will expand its online presence review to an additional 14 nonimmigrant visa classifications (see the full list here). They will join the F, M, J, and H-1B classifications that have been subject to this review since last year.
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The What: The White House nominated Catherine Dillon to be the next Assistant Secretary for Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA).
The Impact: If confirmed, Ms. Dillon will lead the U.S.’ global efforts to engage individuals through academic, cultural, professional, sports, film, music, and youth exchanges.
The Latest: Ms. Dillon’s confirmation will be considered en bloc the week of May 11, 2026.
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The What: On Wednesday, June 18, a cable went out to consular posts across the world instructing them to begin allowing visa appointments with the new vetting guidelines within five business days. The cable stated the U.S. government is now requiring extra social media screening for all F, J, and M visa applicants, including both first-time and returning applicants, as part of new national security measures. When describing the purpose of these new vetting procedures, the cable cites Executive Order 14188, which is a January 30 E.O. on combatting antisemitism.
As part of these new vetting procedures, consular officers are now instructed to review an applicant’s entire public social media history. If an applicant’s accounts are private or they don’t provide access, this could count against them, akin to leaving out required information. Shortly after the cable was released, the Alliance was already hearing from our members of examples where visa applications were denied because of this policy. The cable also indicates that officers will use what they find online to judge the applicant’s “credibility.” If there’s anything on social media that seems to contradict what’s in the visa application, or is seen as inflammatory or against U.S. values, it could be grounds for denial.
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The What: On Tuesday, May 27, Politico reported that a cable sent to all embassies and consular posts by Secretary of State Marco Rubio called for consular sections to “not add any additional student or exchange visitor (F, M and J) visa appointment capacity until further guidance is issued.” This request stems from the Department’s plan to “evaluate operations and processes in preparation for expanded social media vetting of all student and exchange visitor visa applicants.”
The cable also states that “appointments already scheduled can proceed under current guidelines,” though the Alliance received reports that a small number of previously scheduled interviews were canceled after the cable was sent. The full cable text is available here.
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The What: As of April 25, nonimmigrant visa interview wait time information is once again available on State Department’s website. The tool provided is brand new and different from the Visa Appointment Wait Times tool that had been on the Visa Appointment Wait Times webpage, which remains unavailable.
Two important things to note regarding the new tool:
All waits are indicated in months or half-months, not days
For F, M, and J visas, the tool indicates “next available appointment” not average wait times
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The What: On Tuesday, April 22, Secretary of State Rubio announced his official vision for a State Department reorganization and new organization chart.
The Impact: Both ECA and the Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy remained intact in the initial restructuring.
The Latest: On Thursday, May 29, the Trump Administration and Secretary of State Rubio submitted a departmental reorganization plan to Congress yesterday. The press statement included a new proposed organizational chart that still retains ECA and includes minimal changes to the chart put forward in April.
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The What: On Saturday, April 5, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that the Department of State is taking actions to revoke all visas held by South Sudanese passport holders and prevent further issuance to prevent entry into the United States by South Sudanese passport holders.
The Impact: While SEVIS states that there are currently only 138 South Sudanese students currently in the U.S., the order is the first time Trump has targeted the citizens of one country with such a blanket measure.
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The What: On Wednesday, March 26, Secretary of State Marco Rubio sent a cable instructing consular officers to refer certain student and exchange visitor visa applicants for a mandatory social media review. F, J, and M visa applicants that fit one or more of the following criteria will be subject to this enhanced vetting:
An applicant who is eligible and that the officer has reason to believe has openly advocated for a designated foreign terrorist organization;
An applicant who was previously in the U.S. on an F-1, J-1, or M-1 visa between October 7, 2023 and August 31, 2024; or
An applicant whose previous SEVIS record was terminated between October 7, 2023 and now.
The Impact: If an applicant is found to have supported terrorist activities or organizations during this review, they will no longer eligible for a visa. The guidance gives wide discretion to consular officers to determine what qualifies as evidence supporting terrorist activity or demonstrating public approval for a terrorist organization.
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The What: On Friday, March 14, the Department of State published a determination notice that “all efforts to control the status, entry, and exit of people across the borders of the United States constitute a foreign affairs function of the United States” and therefore are covered under the “foreign affairs exception” to the Administrative Procedure Act, which outlines the rulemaking and public notification process.
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The What: On Tuesday, February 18, the Department of State updated its policy on the eligibility requirements for a visa interview waiver. The policy is now that J and F visa applicants are eligible for an interview waiver only if they already have a previously issued a J or F visa that expired less than 12 months prior to the new application and are applying for a renewed J or F visa. This is different from the previous policy that provided eligibility for an applicant that had any nonimmigrant visa issued within the last 48 months.
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The What: On Thursday, February 13, 2025, the U.S. State Department informed grantees that a temporary 15-day pause on federal funding for all current and future State Department FY25 grant disbursements had gone into effect as of Wednesday, February 12.
The Impact: Distribution of grants for educational and cultural exchange (ECE) programs falls under this pause.
The Latest: As of Friday, March 28, Alliance members have received over 85% of outstanding DOS payments that had been withheld due to the ongoing funding freeze.
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The What: On Wednesday, February 12, the White House nominated New York lawyer Sarah Rogersto be Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy.
The Latest: On Wednesday, October 8, nominee Sarah Rogers was confirmed by the Senate, 51 – 47, as the new Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy. In her new role, Under Secretary Rogers will oversee the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and the Bureau of Global Public Affairs (GPA).
EXECUTIVE AND REGULATORY ACTIONS
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The What: On Thursday, August 28, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a proposed rule to replace the current “Duration of Status” (D/S) framework with a fixed period of admission for F, J, and most I nonimmigrants. DHS stated in the press release that the proposed change is intended to enhance oversight, prevent visa abuse, and strengthen national security.
The Impact: Under this new rule, international students and exchange visitors would be admitted only until the program end date listed on their I-20 or DS-2019, with a maximum period of four years, plus a 30-day grace period. To remain in the U.S. beyond that period, including for a program extension, change in academic level, practical training, etc., all F and J visa holders would need to file an Extension of Stay (EOS) directly with USCIS, using Form I-539 with a filing fee, biometrics, and possible interview.
The Latest: The comment period is complete and the rule is back with DHS.
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The What: On Friday, May 9, a court ruling ordered a stop to Reductions in Force (RIFs) across government agencies, including the Department of State. The ruling imposes a two-week pause on mass layoffs citing a lack of authority provided to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) by Congress. Agencies were required to submit their layoff plans to the court by May 13, and in a hearing on May 22, a federal judge continued her halt of the Trump administration’s mass terminations across several agencies, handing down a preliminary injunction that follows up the May 9 temporary restraining order. The ruling continues to prohibit the State Department and other agencies from engaging in Reductions in Force (RIFs) and also orders the reinstatement of employees on administrative leave.
The Latest: On Friday, May 30, the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to halt the preliminary injunction blocking sweeping federal employment cuts overseen by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). In response, the Trump Administration launched an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court to lift the injunction on June 2.
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The What: On Friday, May 2, the Trump Administration released its FY26 “skinny” budget, which is a high-level overview of the president’s priorities for the upcoming fiscal year’s budget process. The budget proposes to cut State Department international exchange programs by 93%.
The Impact: If Congress enacts this budget proposal, it would essentially eliminate the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and leave exchange programs, the U.S. organizations that implement them, and the jobs of more than 8,000 exchange professionals around the country at risk.
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The What: On Thursday, March 20, President Trump signed an Executive Order ordering the Secretary of Education to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”
The Impact: While an act of Congress would be necessary to completely shut down the department, this EO is another step in the Trump Administration’s plan to dismantle the Department of Education after firing of almost 50% of the department’s staff.
The Latest: On Thursday, May 22, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from carrying out its executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and ordered it to reinstate employees terminated in a mass layoff back in March.
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The What: On Inauguration Day, one of President Trump’s first Executive Orders (EOs) instructed the Department of Homeland Security to enforce Section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), also known as The Alien Registration Act of 1940. This longstanding provision requires all foreign nationals aged 14 and older who reside in the U.S. for more than 30 days to register and be fingerprinted—unless they have already completed this step during their visa application process.
Following this EO, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a page on their website outlining the details of the Alien Registration Requirement, sharing which individuals must register or re-register with the Federal government and how they can do so. USCIS also published an Interim Final Rule effective April 11, 2025 that requires nonimmigrants who turn 14 while in the U.S. to re-register within 30 days of their birthday, even if they were previously registered and issued an I-94 Form when entering the country.
The Impact: Read more about the impact here.
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The What: On Saturday, March 1, the White House released a new Executive Order establishing English as the official language of the U.S.
The Impact: The order allows government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether they want to offer documents and services in languages other than English and revokes a previously established mandate that that directed federal agencies to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.
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The What: On Wednesday, February 26, the president signed an Executive Order implementing DOGE activities in the administration. Section 3 of the order allows for DOGE to review, negotiate, and terminate or modify “all existing covered contracts and grants” in accordance with the Administration’s policies.
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The What: On Tuesday, February 18, the White House released a new Executive Order that expands presidential power over independent agencies, requiring agencies to run rulemaking and regulatory changes by the White House and removes the protections for agency heads laid out by the Supreme Court that said the president does not have the power to fire them.
The Latest: It is yet unclear if any legal action will follow this order. There is currently litigation about the firing of the Office of the Special Counsel.
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The What: On Wednesday, February 12, 2025, the White House released a new Executive Order stating, “All officers or employees charged with implementing the foreign policy of the United States must under Article II do so under the direction and authority of the President.”
The Impact: U.S. embassies around the world are starting to prepare for staff reductions.
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The What: A White House memo was released yesterday that directs “the heads of executive departments and agencies (agencies) to review all funding that agencies provide to NGOs.” This article from The Hill provides additional information.
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The What: This EO prioritizes patriotic education in k-12 schools that receive federal funding.
The Impact: In section 5, it directs the Department of State through Fulbright, IVLP, the U.S. Speaker program, and American Spaces to support in promoting patriotic education through their exchange programs and activities.
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The What: The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a two-page memo ordering a freeze of all agency grants, loans, or other financial assistance programs. OMB sent an 800+ page task spreadsheet to agencies to submit by Feb. 10 the details of all such grants.
The Latest: On Tuesday, February 25, Judge Loren AliKhan issued a preliminary injunction barring the government from “implementing, giving effect to, or reinstating under a different name” the broad freeze on all government grants and loans originally attempted at the end of January. It expands her previous temporary block on the freeze. The injunction orders defendants to provide a status report on or before February 28 indicating how they are complying with this order.
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The What: The EO calls for the “termination of all discriminatory programs, including illegal DEI and “diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility” (DEIA) mandates, policies, programs, preferences, and activities in the Federal Government, under whatever name they appear.”
The Latest: On Monday, March 10, U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson clarified that his February 21 preliminary injunction blocking the Trump administration from terminating or changing federal contracts they consider equity-related applies to all federal agencies, not just those named in the original lawsuit.
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The Impact: Under this executive order, U.S. passports and Consular Reports of Birth Abroad (CRBAs) will no longer be issued with an X gender marker. Passports will only be issued with an M or F marker, reflecting the applicant’s biological sex at birth. For more information, including FAQs, visit the Department of State’s website.
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The What: This EO orders “a 90-day pause in United States foreign development assistance for assessment of programmatic efficiencies and consistency with United States foreign policy.”
The Impact: Based on available information at this time, this does not apply to DOS Educational and Cultural Exchanges (ECE) funding, but does impact certain exchange programs funded by other sources, such as Embassies, USAID, and more.
The Latest: On Friday, March 28, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily lifted a lower ruling, enabling the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to resume efforts to dismantle USAID.
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The What: This memorandum states that agencies cannot “propose or issue any rule in any manner…until a department or agency head appointed or designated by the President…reviews and approves the rule.”
The Impact: The Alliance reads this as no new regulatory actions will take place until an Assistant Secretary for ECA is confirmed.
CONGRESSIONAL ACTIONS
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The What: On March 20, 2026, fifteen members of Congress joined Representatives Bill Keating (D, MA-9) and Jeff Van Drew (R, NJ-2) in sending a bipartisan letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio urging him to ensure that sufficient consular resources are in place worldwide for the timely visa processing of J-1 exchange visitors in 2026.
The Impact: The letter responds directly to widespread concerns from sponsors and partners about limited visa interview availability and lengthy candidate review times as summer approaches.
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The What: Bipartisan, bicameral legislation to better compete with China’s dominance in the critical mineral sector was introduced.
The Impact: The act will strengthen American STEM education and build a workforce pipeline to support our growing domestic critical mineral mining industry and will include the Fulbright Program.
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The What: On December 4, 2025, Representatives Ami Bera (D-CA, 6) and Joe Wilson (R-SC, 2) introduced bipartisan legislation requiring the State Department to report on participation in both U.S. and China-sponsored educational and cultural exchange programs.
The Impact: The bill aims to strengthen U.S. exchanges and study abroad initiatives as a strategic response to China’s expanding global influence. It mandates detailed data on federally-funded exchange programs including participation, funding, demographics, and long-term impact, along with an assessment of how these exchanges shape U.S. diplomatic standing. Reports will be submitted to key congressional committees, with updates every five years.
The Latest: The bill passed the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) on March 26, 2026.
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The What: On Tuesday, May 20 and Wednesday, May 21, Secretary of State Rubio took to Capitol Hill for four consecutive hearings on the FY26 budget: with House and Senate State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) committees, the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations (SFRC), and the House Committee on Foreign Affairs (HFAC).
The Impact: No major funding or policy updates pertaining to educational and cultural exchanges came from the hearings.
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The What: On Wednesday, April 30, the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) met to discuss fully reauthorizing the State Department for the first time since 2002 (this isn’t to say there’s been no authorization updates in the past 20 some years; since 2016, Congress has passed five laws that included new authorities for the department, oversight provisions, and funding levels for select programs). Not surprisingly, the hearing conversation centered around Secretary Rubio’s recently announced department re-org. Based on the hearing, it is unclear how involved Congress was in the lead up to the re-org announcement: some Republicans claimed to have been consulted on the process, while Democrats who spoke during the hearing expressed shock at the major changes and cuts announced.
Chairman Brian Mast (R-FL, 21), who oversaw the hearing and has been a driving force in this process, did claim that every lawmaker — Republican or Democrat — would have the opportunity to submit their thoughts and ideas on the State Department’s future during the reauthorization process.
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The What: On Wednesday, April 2, Representative Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-CA, 37) introduced the Defending American Diplomacy Act to protect the State Department from DOGE cuts. This bill, according to Representative Kamlager-Dove, would “prevent the Trump Administration from making any significant changes to the State Department without first consulting and obtaining approval from Congress. If the administration circumvents Congress to reorganize the State Department, as it did with USAID, the legislation will cut off federal funding for DOGE and prohibit travel for political appointees.”
The Impact: Though unlikely to move past the Senate, the bill is a show of support for the State Department and, Representative Kamlager-Dove hopes, ensures conversations about DOGE’s actions continue.
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The What: The bill, which garnered significant bipartisan support, puts into statute the ability of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain and deport undocumented immigrants who have been accused or convicted of crimes.
The Impact: The bill includes language that provides states the authority to sue the State Department to stop the issuance of visas to countries that are slow to, or do not accept, their nationals who the U.S. seeks to deport.
The Latest: President Trump signed the act into law the afternoon of Wednesday, January 29.
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The Latest: On Saturday, March 15, President Trump signed into law legislation funding the government through the end of September, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown.
The Impact: Concerns regarding funding cuts and shifts over the next six months remain. This continuing resolution, unlike those previously passed, does not include accompanying reports that detail with great specificity how money should be spent, leaving room for the Trump Administration to redirect funds as they see fit. Additional reporting reveals that the Trump Administration has already started mapping out how to make good on its promise to slash federal spending ahead of the CR passing.
INTERNATIONAL STUDENT UPDATES
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Item description
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The What: On Thursday, May 22, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem sent a letter to Harvard Unoversity immediately revoked Harvard’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification, making it so international students would no longer be able to enroll, and existing international students must transfer or lose their legal status.
The Latest: On Thursday, May 29, a federal judge ruling maintained the temporary restraining order blocking the Department of Homeland Security’s revocation of Harvard University’s SEVP certification.
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The What: On Thursday, May 22, a federal judge ruled that the federal government cannot revoke the legal status of international students while a court case challenging previous terminations is pending. The ruling also prohibits the government from arresting, incarcerating, or moving students elsewhere based on their legal status until the case is resolved.
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The What: On Monday, April 28, 36 Senate Democrats Senators sent a letter to DHS, DOS, and ICE leadership pressing the Trump Administration to reconsider recent decisions to revoke student visas. The letter stated that the revocations reflected an “unannounced change in policy and were inconsistent with existing laws, regulations, policies, and agency guidance governing the maintenance and termination of student status.”
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The What: On Tuesday, March 25, the Knight Institute filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration’s policy of arresting, detaining, and deporting noncitizen students and faculty who participate in pro-Palestinian activism. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP), AAUP’s Harvard, NYU, and Rutgers campus chapters, and the Middle East Studies Association, argues that the policy chills noncitizens from speaking and, by extension, robs these organizations and their U.S. citizen members of noncitizens’ perspectives on a matter of significant public debate.
The Latest: On Thursday, April 10, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, joined in by eighty-six higher education institutions and associations, submitted an amicus brief supporting the AAUP’s motion for a preliminary injunction to safeguard academic freedom and halt large-scale arrests, detentions, and deportations of students and faculty engaged in constitutionally–protected activities.
On Friday, April 11, 19 state attorneys general also filed an amicus brief in the case, urging the Court to block enforcement of the administration’s policies targeting individuals, many of them students and scholars, for immigration enforcement based on their beliefs. The attorneys general argue this policy is a blatant violation of the First Amendment and is inflicting lasting harm on academic institutions, students, and state economies.
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The What: NAFSA is tracking reports of international students and scholars who have had their visas revoked and/or their records terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
The Impact: As of April 18, more than 1,400 reports of international students and scholars who have had their visas revoked and/or their records terminated in SEVIS have been recorded. There continues to be no clear pattern, trend, or transparency into the grounds for the reported revocations, and a total lack of due process.
COMMENTARY & ANALYSIS
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