Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) today introduced a new bill aimed at significantly altering the landscape of foreign student enrollment in U.S. higher education.
The “American Students First Act,” introduced on June 24, 2025, proposes capping the number of international students holding F and M visas at 10% of a university’s total student body, with a potential waiver allowing up to 15% for national security reasons.
Currently, there are no federal limits on the proportion of foreign students a U.S. university can enroll. Senator Scott argues that this lack of regulation compromises opportunities for American students and poses a national security risk, particularly from adversarial nations.
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“The U.S. has world-renowned colleges and universities that students from around the globe aspire to attend, but that cannot come at the expense of opportunities for American students or our national security,” Senator Scott stated. He further emphasized concerns about “Communist China” using student visas for “espionage, intellectual property theft, and recently bring toxic biological pathogens into our nation,” calling it a “clear and dangerous loophole.”
The bill explicitly states its intention to prioritize American student admissions at major universities. Senator Scott lauded efforts by President Donald Trump and Secretary Marco Rubio to enhance the vetting process for foreign nationals from adversarial nations, particularly China, as crucial steps to protect American students, academic institutions, and national security interests.
He asserted that his bill is the “next step to ensure taxpayer-funded institutions put American students first, and invest in our nation’s future success instead of selling out to foreign adversaries.”
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The President or the Secretary of Homeland Security would have the power to issue a waiver to increase enrollment to 15% for reasons of national security or if it is deemed in the interests of the United States.
This legislative proposal comes amidst ongoing debates about the role of international students in U.S. higher education, balancing the economic benefits and global academic exchange they bring with concerns over national security and domestic student access.
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