The U.S. without international students
Losing global talent could cost the United States' economic and cultural benefits for generations to come.
Issue #90
Hi all —
In the 1970s, my dad moved from India to the United States to pursue graduate school — and then went on to contribute toward American companies for decades. After my parents married in the 1980s and my mom also moved to the U.S., she pursued her college here, also contributing toward American firms for decades. Both also volunteered their time in public elementary and high schools for many years, contributing among many things, free tutoring and launching world language programs. Neither went back to work in India or for Indian companies.
I share this, even though it’s obvious to many Americans — but because it’s clearly not to all: Many international students contribute greatly to not just the innovation in the U.S. but also our local communities.
Over the last few weeks, it’s been somewhat startling to think I likely would not exist or be living here today if it weren’t for the United States’ unmatched ability to attract the world’s brightest to our unparalleled universities.
But the Trump administration is making serious moves to end decades of that gold standard, attacking the most recognizable symbol of American higher education — Harvard — and cracking down on student visas.
It’s baffling when you consider even very surface-level measures of how international talent yields economic benefit.
Many of the nation’s most value-creating companies are started by immigrants or their children:
Shown in the table below, the American Immigration Council cites the latest companies founded by immigrants or their children that they added to their “New American Fortune 500” list in 2024. Look at how many jobs they created, too.
Even when they’re just in school, international students contribute billions to the U.S. economy:
As The Washington Post reports, the organization NAFSA: Association of International Educators found that if you add up tuition, fees, accommodations, transportation and incidental expenses…
NAFSA estimates that international students contributed nearly $44 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023-2024 school year.
With an anti-foreigner approach to the world, the U.S. could lose out on international students’ innovation:
A University of California, Davis study paired information about international students graduating from U.S. master’s programs between 1999 and 2020 with data on the startups they founded.
The study found that an increase of 150 international students in a graduating cohort led to one additional startup within five years, a rate eight to nine times higher than for an equivalent number of U.S.-born students. About a third of that increase in startups was generated by international students’ entrepreneurialism spilling over to their U.S.-born peers who also founded and co-founded firms.
It’s not just economics:
It would involve a Ph.D. dissertation to go through the sheer scale of cultural benefits to this land of immigrants.
So just take the selection of one basic metric: Can you imagine a U.S. without food that has flavor?
That sounds bland.
Thanks for joining the conversation,
Vignesh
Red, White and Brown column recognition
After India Currents republished a Red, White and Brown election season column about code-switching last fall, the California News Publishers Association recently recognized the article in its 2024 California Journalism Awards, as part of a group of Indian Currents editorial columns.
Links across the internet to check out
NBC News reports on the latest policy changes and legal battles regarding the Trump administration and international students.
The Washington Post reports how even U.S. green-card holders are canceling trips and on edge after some highly publicized detentions.
The New York Times reports on the health benefits of mangos — giving us all additional excuses to continue enjoying the favorite fruit, even if they’re a bit pricier this year (ahem, tariffs).
Spotted on social
Several leading South Asian American voices, often rightly so, share traumatic childhood experiences caused by their parents. But that’s not everyone’s experience, and I also believe it’s time we go beyond the overarching stereotype that desi parents are close-minded terrors.
South Asian American Namanh Kapur has been sharing some compelling stories on his Instagram about growing up with two cultures in the U.S. My brother shared this refreshing one with me (see below), and it especially resonates with us because it shares an experience of growing up with Indian American parents like ours who promoted trust.
“My parents told us what they thought was right and wrong, and then gave us the space to make our own mistakes,” Kapur said in the video. “And because of that, I learned to trust myself, to face the world without fear, to fail and keep going. For that, I’ll always be grateful.”
Forward this
Comedian and vegetarian Rekha Shankar recently shared a satirical take on everyday foods and the ingredients they contain:
From the RWB archive
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