Washington D.C., June 22, 2024 – Former Education Secretary, John Smith, has spoken out against the recent foreign student curbs imposed by the government, calling them “self-defeating.”
In a statement released yesterday, Smith criticized the limits on foreign students, saying that they would have a negative effect on both the economy and national security.
Former Education Secretary:
He argued that foreign students were an important source of intellectual and cultural diversity, and that their contributions to the economy were significant. “Foreign students bring in billions of dollars to the US economy each year and create jobs for American citizens,” he said.
Smith also highlighted the value of foreign students to the national security of the country. “Many foreign students go on to work in important fields such as cybersecurity, defense, and intelligence. By limiting their access to education in the US, we are basically shooting ourselves in the foot when it comes to national security,” he added.
The former Education Secretary’s comments come after the government put new restrictions on foreign students earlier this month. Under the new rules, foreign students would be required to submit to extensive background checks and would be subject to strict visa standards.
Critics of the new rules argue that they will discourage foreign students from learning in the US, and will harm the economy in the long run.
Smith echoed these concerns in his statement, saying that the new rules were “short-sighted” and would eventually harm the country. “We need to be supporting foreign students to come to the US, not pushing them away. By doing so, we are only hurting ourselves in the long run,” he said.
The former Education Secretary’s comments have been met with mixed reactions from politicians and the people. While some have praised him for coming out against the new rules, others have criticized him for being too soft on foreign students.
Despite the criticism, Smith stays steadfast in his belief that the new rules are harmful to the country. “We need to be thinking long-term when it comes to foreign students. They are an important part of our business and our national security, and we can’t afford to push them away,” he concluded.