Statement on inaccurate New York Times article on international exchange programs

The Alliance for International Exchange is deeply disappointed by the inaccurate and reductive portrayal of U.S. Department of State BridgeUSA international exchange programs in a recent New York Times article. We are dismayed and disheartened by the negative experiences of the individuals featured in the story. Their experiences, however, are far from representative and do not reflect that the majority of the 300,000 individuals who participate in BridgeUSA programs annually have positive, life-changing experiences that improve their lives and careers and strengthen the United States’ global influence. 

In fact, data from the Alliance’s 2025 BridgeUSA Impact Report shows that an overwhelming majority of alumni have positive experiences and recommend the programs to their family and friends upon returning to their home countries. 

BridgeUSA programs are governed by a comprehensive set of community-supported State Department regulations, as well as robust compliance mechanisms. These regulations and compliance activities continuously improve program administration and experiences. The health, safety, welfare and success of all program participants is the exchange community’s number one priority.  

BridgeUSA’s comprehensive and evolving set of regulations prioritize participant health, safety and welfare, as well as program quality and meaningful cultural exchange. Over the past decade, the Department of State has significantly strengthened oversight of these programs. Targeted reforms in the early and mid-2010s added critical protections across many program categories, including Intern, Trainee, and Summer Work Travel (SWT). 

These regulations require numerous key safeguards, including but not limited to: rigorous vetting of host employers, clear prohibitions on job placements in unsafe or inappropriate roles, and structured support systems for participants. 

Oversight of BridgeUSA programs today is even more robust than it was a decade ago, and that evolution reflects a shared, community-wide commitment to the safety, success, and cultural enrichment of every participant. 

Data has continually shown that the vast majority of exchange participants have positive experiences in the U.S. In a 2018 Intern and Trainee programs report commissioned by the Alliance, 95% of surveyed participants said they had a good or very good experience in the U.S. More than 85% of SWT alumni also reported being satisfied with the support they received from their U.S. sponsor organization, and with their host employers (82%). Fast forward to the Alliance’s 2025 impact study on the programs, and these numbers still hold, highlighting the positive experience both programs continue to provide for international exchange participants.  

In addition to creating positive, life-changing experiences for participants, BridgeUSA international exchange programs represent the most cost-effective tool in the United States’ public diplomacy toolbox, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars reinvested back in American communities.  

The Alliance and its members will continue to partner with the State Department to advance the goals of these important programs while ensuring the wellbeing of participants.