Legislation Introduced by House Republicans Aiming to Prohibit Chinese Nationals from Obtaining US Student Visas
Rep. Riley Moore stressed the need for Congress to put an end to China’s exploitation of the U.S. student visa program.
A group of House Republicans recently introduced a bill to bar Chinese citizens from acquiring U.S. student visas due to national security concerns linked to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Rep. Riley Moore, the leader of this initiative, is a first-term congressman from West Virginia who is part of the Appropriations Committee. The bill, named the “Stop Chinese Communist Prying by Vindicating Intellectual Safeguards in Academia Act of 2025” or the “Stop CCP VISAs Act of 2025,” aims to address these security issues.
In a statement, Moore expressed concern about the CCP using student visas to spy on the U.S. military and steal intellectual property, highlighting a specific incident involving Chinese nationals at the University of Michigan.
The bill seeks to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to prevent Chinese nationals from obtaining nonimmigrant student visas for research or study purposes.
This legislation is expected to have an impact on academic students, vocational students, and exchange visitors.
Other key sponsors of the bill include Reps. Brandon Gill (R-Texas), Scott Perry (R-Pa.), and Addison McDowell (R-N.C.). They all emphasize the importance of protecting American values and national security interests from CCP threats associated with student visas.
Various instances, such as the case of Ye Yanqing and Wen Shenghua, illustrate the security risks posed by Chinese nationals exploiting the student visa program for illicit activities.
