The United States has long been a global leader in research and higher education, but that legacy is now at risk.

A proposed federal policy would eliminate the current "duration of status" standard for F-1 student visas and replace it with a strict four-year limit. If implemented, this change would disrupt academic careers, force international students out of the country mid-degree, and cause long-term harm to America’s research institutions.

We are calling on Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and USCIS Director Joseph B. Edlow to withdraw this harmful proposal and protect the ability of international students to study and contribute fully in the U.S.

International students already undergo extensive vetting and must show they are making normal progress toward their degrees. The current “duration of status” policy works because it gives them the time needed to complete rigorous programs, including Ph.D. programs, which take an average of 5.7 years.

The new policy would force students to seek costly and uncertain extensions, often in the middle of their academic programs. It creates instability for students and for the universities that rely on their research, teaching, and expertise.

Thousands of international students have already begun leaving or avoiding the U.S. due to new visa rules and growing unpredictability. At the University of Maryland and other public institutions, foreign student enrollment is declining sharply. Labs are losing talent. Research projects are being abandoned.

This is not how a global leader treats its future scientists, educators, and innovators.

We urge DHS and USCIS to:

• Maintain the current “duration of status” model for F-1 student visas
• Ensure international students are protected from mid-program deportation
• Recognize the contributions these students make to U.S. research, innovation, and higher education

This policy is short-sighted and damaging. International students are not a threat. They are part of what makes American education exceptional.

Please sign this petition to protect their future and ours.