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www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know 18 IMMIGRATION August 1, 2025 State Department To Investigate Harvard’s Use Of International J-1 Visas T he State Department onWednes- day, July 23, opened a new inves- tigation into Harvard University’s eligibility as a sponsor of visas through the Exchange Visitor Program, intensifying the Trump administration’s battle with the Ivy League institution. In a statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said all program sponsors need to comply with government regulations and ensure they do not undermine U.S. for- eign policy or compromise the country’s national security interests. “The American people have the right to expect their universities to uphold national security, comply with the law, and provide safe environments for all students. The investigation will ensure that State Department programs do not run contrary to our nation’s interests,” the statement said. It did not outline any specific misconduct on Harvard’s part. In an emailed statementWednesday, Harvard said it remains committed to compliance with all Exchange Visitor Pro- gram regulations. “This investigation is yet another retal- iatory step taken by the Administration in violation of Harvard’s First Amendment rights,” a spokesperson said, adding that the university continues to enroll and sponsor international scholars, research- ers and students. The Exchange Visitor Program pro- vides nonimmigrant visas, also known as J-1 visas, for those coming to the United States in various educational and cultural capacities, including as students, profes- sors, au pairs, camp counselors, interns and researchers. President Donald Trump’s targeting of higher education institutions to bring them in line with his political agenda has involved actions such as freezing of billions of dollars in federal research fund- ing. His administration has tried to revoke Harvard’s ability to enroll international students and has focused on visa applica- tions related to the nation’s oldest univer- sity for additional federal scrutiny. Harvard has pushed back against the administration’s claims, including that it is not taking sufficient action against anti- semitism on campus. This week, in a case that could have significant ramifications for higher education in the U.S., Harvard’s lawyers argued that the Trump adminis- tration’s reasons for withholding federal funding were “cooked up” and unconsti- tutional. The hearing before U.S. District Judge Allison D. Burroughs concluded without a ruling. In May, when the Department of Homeland Security revoked Harvard’s ability to admit international students, the university sued and won a temporary block of the ban. There are more than 10,000 foreign students and scholars from over 150 countries at Harvard in the cur- rent academic year, according to its data. Days later, the State Department directed its embassies and consulates to undertake extra scrutiny of visa applicants requesting travel to Harvard, including students, faculty, workers, guest speakers and tourists. Last month, Trump issued a proclama- tion – which typically does not have the force of law – seeking to restrict the entry of international students and scholars looking to study or research at Harvard. Soon afterward, a court blocked the ad- ministration from targeting student visas, following which the State Department instructed consulates to resume process- ing such applications. Harvard says it has taken numerous steps to address antisemitism in the wake of campus protests last year over the war in Gaza. Earlier this month, the Harvard Crimson reported that the school told international students to expect enhanced screening at Boston Logan International Airport and warned them that their social media could be vetted for pro-Palestinian posts. While Harvard’s legal fights continue, other institutions have sought to compro- mise with the administration. Columbia University onWednesday agreed to pay the federal government more than $200 million to settle a dispute over funding. The deal reinstates most of the $400 mil- lion in frozen research grants and closes investigations into the school. - TheWashington Post By Niha Masih Analysis: Impact Of Trump Bill’s $250 Fee Addon For Some Foreign Travelers. Start Date Not Yet Announced F or many foreign nationals, a new visa fee will in- crease the cost of traveling to the United States by $250. The “visa integrity fee,” included in the sweep- ing policy legislation that President Donald Trump signed into law this month, will require visitors traveling on a nonimmigrant visa to pay an additional $250. This group includes leisure and business travelers as well as international students from a wide range of countries such as India, China, Mexico, Brazil, South Africa and the Philippines. Applicants must pay this amount on top of other visa fees that often total nearly $200. The Department of Homeland Security can adjust the fee based on inflation, starting in October. The bill does not specify when the fee will go into effect. In a statement, DHS said the new law “provides the necessary policies and resources to restore integrity in our nation’s immigration system. The visa integrity fee requires cross-agency coordination before implementa- tion.” The department did not answer questions fromThe Washington Post about when the fee will be implemented and how visitors will pay it. The State Department did not respond to a request for comment. The fee could be refundable once the visitor visa ex- pires, typically in 10 years for business and tourist visas, according to Geoff Freeman, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, a nonprofit that advocates for the travel industry. The fee does not apply to travelers frommore than 40 countries covered by the VisaWaiver Program, such as Australia, Chile, France, Qatar and Singapore. These visi- tors, however, will also feel a new financial pinch. Under the law, the application fee for the Electronic System for Travel Authorization will increase from $21 to $40. Freeman said the ESTA fee will be split among a travel promotion fund, Customs and Border Protection, and a general Treasury fund. The visa integrity fee, which he called a “junk fee that would make Ticketmaster blush,” will go toward deficit reduction. “Let’s steal money from foreign travelers, money that they would have spent in U.S. restaurants and hotels and with small businesses,” Freeman said. “Now they’re going to give it to the U.S. government.” The fee could scare off potential visitors, said Steven Brown, an immigration lawyer based in Houston. He said a family of four headed to DisneyWorld on a tourist visa called a B-2, which costs $185 per person, would have to pay more than $1,700 before they even set foot in the Magic Kingdom. “People might question, ‘Hey, is this an extra expense we want to pay?’” Brown said. According to the new law, travelers may receive a refund if they comply with several stipulations, such as leaving within five days of the preapproved departure date and not accepting unauthorized employment. The provision does not provide details on how a traveler would receive a refund. Brown said DHS and the State Department will oversee the refund process. Freeman doubted that visitors will ever see a check. “The U.S. government is not a bank that’s going to be setting aside people’s money and give them interest on that amount when we return it to them in 10 years,” he said. “It is a cynical way to create an offset on the backs of foreigners.” The Congressional Budget Office estimates the fee will generate $28.9 billion through fiscal 2034, though it is not clear whether that projection factors in the yet-to-be- announced implementation date. The United States is gearing up for two of the world’s preeminent athletic events, the FIFAWorld Cup, which the U.S. will co-host with Canada and Mexico next sum- mer, and the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Los Angeles, which will stage the international com- petition for a third time, holds the record for hosting the most profitable Games in Olympic history, the 1984 Sum- mer Games. TheWorld Cup could be even more lucrative. A Fé- dération Internationale de Football Association analysis released in March said the country could garner $6.4 bil- lion in tourist spending. “Tourism forecasts for the FIFAWorld Cup 2026 are promising,” the study noted. “This influx of visitors will likely generate billions of dollars in economic activity, benefiting the hospitality, transportation, and retail sec- tors.” The wildly popular soccer tournament will overlap with America’s 250th anniversary, a year-long celebration marking the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The timing of the visa fee is inopportune, Freeman said. According to the association, international visits de- clined 3.4 percent in the first half of 2025 compared with last year. The number fell 5 percent in June alone. “Before the pandemic, we had 79 million visitors. Last year, we had 72 million visitors,” Freeman said. “This year, we’re going backwards.” Though the majority of visitors originate from visa- waiver countries, 45 percent “must go through hurdles to get a visa,” Freeman said. Brand USA, which promotes international travel, also took a hit, losing $80 million of its federal funding for the 2026 fiscal year. Freeman said the association and other travel industry entities plan to push back against the visa integrity fee. “This is just dumb policy,” Freeman said. -TheWashington Post By Andrea Sachs