The Trump administration has finalized rules that slash the maximum stay for foreign journalists to just 240 days and cap student visas at four years, marking the latest escalation in a broader push to restrict legal immigration. The changes, set to take effect as soon as September, target two groups that have long enjoyed open-ended admission periods, and they arrive amid a sharp decline in international enrollments and growing diplomatic friction. Main Developments Under the finalized rule, foreign students will be admitted for the length of their academic program, but no longer than four years. Journalists will face a hard 240-day limit, though they can apply for extensions in 240-day increments — except for Chinese journalists, who are capped at just 90 days. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) received nearly 22,000 public comments after proposing the rule in August 2025 but kept it largely unchanged. When first proposed, DHS argued that foreigners were exploiting open-ended student visas to remain in the country as “forever students,” undermining the department’s ability to monitor visa holders. Read also: Pakistan's Farming Crisis: Why Corporate Profit Alone Is Not Enough Background The open-ended student visa system had been in place since the late 1970s. Trump proposed similar limits at the end of his first term, but President Joe Biden scrapped the idea after taking office. The current rule is subject to review by the Republican-led Congress. Higher education groups, including the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, denounced the proposal as a needless bureaucratic hurdle that would deter talented students. The Embassy of Japan and media organizations urged DHS to allow admission periods of two to five years for journalists, but the department rejected those proposals along with requests for expedited processing and capped fees. Why It Matters The United States welcomed more than 1.1 million international students in the 2023-24 academic year — more than any other country — and those students contributed over $50 billion to the U.S. economy in 2023, according to official data. Universities have already reported lower international enrollments after earlier Trump administration actions, including the revocation of thousands of student visas and the suspension of billions of dollars in federal research funding. The 240-day cap on journalists, with a 90-day limit for Chinese correspondents, threatens to disrupt foreign news coverage and could further strain relations with Beijing. Media organizations warned that short stays undermine the ability of foreign bureaus to maintain consistent reporting from the United States. What's Next The rule is scheduled to be implemented as soon as September, though it remains subject to review by Congress. Universities and media groups may pursue legal challenges or seek legislative relief, but with a Republican-led Congress, the path to reversal is uncertain. International students and journalists already in the U.S. will need to monitor their admission periods closely and plan for potential extensions or departures.