Welcome to Dale's Digest, a curated newsletter from Foreign Credentials Service of America (FCSA). Below are a collection of articles from reliable sources regarding news and trends in international enrollment.
Opinion: Does the United States Need International Students?
A recent Wall Street Journal opinion piece asked college students whether the United States needs international students; their responses reflect the broader national debate. Students in favor of international student enrollment argued that visa uncertainty and policy changes are driving away the next generation of global innovators, pointing to a 12 percent drop in international graduate enrollment in 2025–26.
As NAFSA's Erica Stewart noted in last Friday's Connecting Our World newsletter, the negative arguments are based on "unfounded claims that international students take seats from American students and deprive them of workforce opportunities." Stewart also points to a recent statement from the U.S. for Success Coalition—of which NAFSA is a founding member—making a compelling argument in favor of international talent.
Recent U.S. Executive and Regulatory Actions
NAFSA's regulatory team tracks and analyzes executive and regulatory actions affecting international education and shares updates and analyses on the "Current U.S. Administration" web page and through the AM360 news feed. Recent updates include:
February 24: The Student and Exchange Visitor Program has published a resource advising designated school officials on how to protect international students from scammers impersonating U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials and pressuring students for money or personal information. Learn more.
February 21: The Office of Management and Budget has completed its review of a proposed Department of Labor rule expected to revise the methodology used to determine prevailing wages in the H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and PERM programs. Learn more.
February 20: The American Council on Education has released its 2026 Issue Brief on immigration-related campus concerns, covering DACA, visa applicants, travel bans, and federal enforcement actions. Learn more.
The Foreign Credentials Service of America (FCSA) will be exhibiting at the upcoming AACRAO Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, from April 19-22, 2026. Please visit us at Booth #530 in the Exhibit Hall.
