> Can anyone explain a rational political motivation behind this? I realize "less immigrants" is the hand-wavy explanation, but how does this benefit those in charge?

I recommend you read the link, which in the first few words outlines “non-immigrants” and my summary.

> Adjudicating Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants in Their Country of Residence

Immigrants don’t apply for non immigrant visas

Not defending the US here, but are you saying that overstaying your visa does not exist?

Their point was that this change applies to non-immigrant visas (which in theory are only issued to people who do not intend to immigrate to the US), not immigrant visas.

While true, the State Department already made the same change to immigrant visas a few days ago: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/visas-news/a...

This might also be tied to the incident with the South Korean nationals in Georgia.

(Note: Georgia as in Atlanta, not Tbilisi.)

It validates xenophobia. In a xenophobic population. This keeps them in charge. That is all. This administration is all about cutting off their nose to spite thir face.

It aligns with their effort to ruin the economic situation of American universities.

Yes, what America needs now is more students working in the grey economy after their student visa expires.

We either let them in and grow our economy or compete with them.

Right. It is also rather inconsistent to be the guy who says he is working on the trade imbalance, while simultaneously wrecking one of America's biggest export sectors: education, housing for education, and travel for education.

Please refer me to the part of the Constitution that enumerates the responsibility of the US government to preserve the business model of the modern university system?

Unless you are arguing that government actions should not be criticized unless they are in violation of the Constitution, your comment makes no sense in the context of any comment that is an ancestor of it in the comment tree.

Did you response to the wrong comment or get a little mixed up about the shape of the comments tree or what?

click on the “parent” link for my comment

Or to capitalism itself, for that matter! We could easily become a modern country if we just had the will.

The recourse to the constitution is silly. It has barely any relevance to the country we've become.