A potential Department of Homeland Security change in the rules on student and scholar visas threatens U.S. national security and should be withdrawn, CSET Founding Director Jason Matheny and Research Fellow Zachary Arnold write. They submitted this letter in response to a new DHS proposed rule, “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission and an Extension of Stay Procedure for Nonimmigrant Academic Students, Exchange Visitors, and Representatives of Foreign Information Media.” Matheny and Arnold say the change, which affects workers in high tech among other sectors, will likely do more harm than good. They make the case that:

1. foreign students and scholars are critical national security assets;
2. the proposed rule will deter foreign students and scholars from coming to the United States, harming national security;
3. DHS’s analysis of this risk is inadequate;
4. the national security costs of the proposed rule will very likely outweigh its benefits;
5. DHS did not consider reasonable alternatives to the proposed rule.