CAA has created a fact sheet to help Chinese students understand their rights, stay informed, and navigate this deeply unsettling moment. 中文版本，请点这
*The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice.
What does Marco Rubio’s Department of State notice say?
The U.S. Department of State will begin to revoke visas for Chinese students including “those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.” No additional information has been provided beyond what is available in a press release.
Why is this happening now?
Secretary Rubio’s announcement comes a day after the federal government announced that it would be pausing all student interviews in order to expand its social media surveillance apparatus. This is also part of the government’s continued crackdown on universities and international students for exercising free speech.
It coincides with trade negotiations between China and the United States after both countries reached a 90-day pause to lower tariffs on goods. However, despite trade talks, the situation remains volatile and if no long-term deal is reached by August 14, tariffs could escalate once again.
While this pause on Chinese student visas is happening now, targeting Chinese people based on their ethnicity or nationality is not new. The Page Act of 1875 and the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 specifically banned Chinese women and men from immigrating to the United States — the first restrictive federal immigration laws in American history. Since then, we’ve seen the same sinophobia in our nation’s policies, including recently, the Department of Justice’s China Initiative, which wrongfully arrested and persecuted Chinese scientists working in the United States.
Who does this impact?
A student visa holder can travel to the U.S. and request admission into the country for a temporary period of time to study in the U.S. While there is much we do not know, this policy appears to be targeting students from the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and its special administrative region, Hong Kong. While the announcement did not identify specific visas, we believe this may impact F-1, J-1 and M-1 student visa holders.
| F-1 | M-1 | J-1 |
| To study at a university, college, elementary school, or another academic institution. | To study at a vocational or other nonacademic institution, other than a language training program. | Is an exchange visitor visa including but not limited to a student at a high school, college or university |
What happens when a Chinese student visa is revoked?
A visa can be revoked by the U.S. Department of State or a consular officer at their discretion. However, a visa revocation is not equivalent to an order of removal nor is it a requirement that the person must immediately leave the United States. A student is then subject to ICE enforcement actions which includes arrest, detention, and removal from the United States. If a student is facing immigration enforcement actions, it is important to seek the advice and counsel of an immigration attorney specializing in deportation defense. You can find a list of resources here. If a student is not facing immigration enforcement yet, you should still reach out to an immigration attorney for a legal assessment.
Learn more about your rights if ICE comes to your home or neighborhood.
What happens if a Chinese student is placed in removal proceedings?
ICE must provide a student with due process including a hearing before an Immigration Judge. This begins with the issuance of a Notice to Appear, which is a charging document notifying a person of the reasons why the government is seeking his or her removal from the U.S. If a student is facing immigration enforcement actions, it is important to seek the advice and counsel of an immigration attorney specializing in deportation defense. You can find a list of resources here.
What does “connections” to the Chinese Communist Party or “studying in critical fields” mean?
It is unclear what “connections” to the Chinese Communist Party means or how the Department of State qualifies as “studying in critical fields.”
What do we know so far about “studying in critical fields?”
Under the first Trump administration, the federal government issued presidential proclamation 10043 on May 29, 2020, which targeted Chinese graduate students based on the Chinese university they attended. The proclamation denied entry to student visa holders who studied at or conducted research at a “PRC’s military-civil fusion strategy.”
By their own definition, “military-civil fusion strategy” meant action by or at the behest of the PRC to “avert and divert foreign technologies, specifically critical and emerging technologies, to incorporate into and advance the PRC’s military capabilities.” The Biden administration had continued the denials under the same proclamation denying Chinese students re-entry back into the United States post-COVID 19.
Given the geopolitical politics between China and the U.S., subjects such as semiconductor research, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence have been areas of interest for the federal government.
Why does the government want to know about “connections” to the Chinese Communist Party?
The United States has always viewed China as a perceived threat and has scrutinized anyone perceived to be Chinese as hostile and disloyal. A recent study showed that 1 in 4 Americans believe that Chinese Americans are a threat to U.S. society and 40% believe that Asian Americans are more loyal to their countries of origin than to the U.S.
If you are a noncitizen, it is important to speak to an immigration lawyer when undergoing the immigration process. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) may ask about your membership in the Chinese Communist Party and disclosure may trigger grounds of inadmissibility or denials of naturalization.
How does the federal administration define and interpret “connections” to the Chinese Communist Party?
The “connections” to the Chinese Communist Party is broad and extremely vague which opens room for mass and indiscriminate revocation of visas for Chinese international students living in America. The policy would impact millions of non-political party members and their family members thereby threatening to trigger a complete expulsion of Chinese international students from the country.
Do Chinese student visa holders have constitutional rights in the United States?
Yes, Chinese student visa holders already present in the United States have rights under the U.S. Constitution. For more information, click here.
We will continue to update this fact sheet as more information becomes available.
Let’s be clear: This is a racist and dangerous attack that echoes the worst chapters of American history – from the Chinese Exclusion Act, to the WWII incarceration of Japanese Americans, to the xenophobic scapegoating that fueled thousands of anti-Asian hate incidents during COVID-19.
Once again, Chinese people are being vilified – not because of anything we’ve done, but simply because of where we come from.
中国学生签证持有者信息概要
*本信息仅供参考，不应被视为法律建议。
国务院通知内容?
美国国务院将开始撤销中国学生的签证，包括“那些与中国共产党有关联或是在关键领域学习的学生”。目前，除新闻稿已发布的信息外，官方尚未提供更多细节。
政策实施的原因?
在卢比奥国务卿宣布此消息的前一天，联邦政府宣布将暂停所有学生签证面试，以扩大其社交媒体监控系统。这也是政府持续限制大学和国际学生行使言论自由的一部分。
国务院宣布此举，正值中美双方就降低商品关税达成 90 天休战协议、重启贸易谈判之际。然而，尽管贸易谈判仍在进行，局势依然动荡，如果到 8 月 14 日仍未达成长期协议，关税可能会再次升级。
暂停中国学生签证是当前的举措，但基于种族或国籍针对中国人的行为，并非新鲜事。《1875 年佩奇法案》和 1882 年的《排华法案》是美国历史上首次通过联邦法律限制移民，明确禁止中国人移民美国。自此，我们不时在国家政策中看到同样的恐华情绪。例如，近期司法部的“中国行动计划”就曾错误逮捕和迫害在美国工作的中国科学家。
受影响对象?
学生签证持有者可以前往美国，并在获准入境后在美临时学习。目前尚有许多未知情况，但这项政策似乎针对来自中华人民共和国及香港特别行政区的学生。尽管公告没有指明具体的签证类型，我们相信政策可能会影响 F-1、J-1 和 M-1 学生签证持有者。
| F-1 | M-1 | J-1 |
| 在大学、学院、小学或其他学术机构学习。 | 在职业或其他非学术机构（语言培训课程除外）学习。 | 交流访问学者签证，包括但不限于高中、学院或大学的学生。 |
签证撤销的后果与影响?
签证可由美国国务院或领事官员依其裁量权撤销。然而，签证撤销并不等同于驱逐令，也并非意味签证持证人必须立即离开美国。签证被撤销后，学生可能会面临移民及海关执法局(ICE)的执法行动，包括逮捕、拘留及从美国驱逐出境。如果学生面临移民执法行动，务必寻求专门处理驱逐辩护案件的移民律师提供建议与法律咨询。相关资源列表可以在此处找到。即使学生尚未面临移民执法，仍应联系移民律师进行法律评估。
如果 ICE 来到你的住家或社区，请了解你应有的权利。点击此处查看详情。
遣返程序须知?
ICE 必须向学生提供正当程序，其中包括由移民法官主持的听证会。程序的第一步是向当事学生签发指控文件“出庭通知”(Notice to Appear)，说明政府试图将该学生从美国驱逐出境的原因。如果学生面临移民执法行动，务必寻求专门处理驱逐辩护案件的移民律师提供建议与法律咨询。相关资源列表可以在此处找到。
“与中共关联”及“关键领域学习”定义?
目前，对于何为与中国共产党“有关联”，以及国务院如何界定“在关键领域学习”，均尚不清楚。
就“关键领域学习”的已知信息?
在特朗普首个任期内，联邦政府于 2020 年 5 月 29 日发布第 10043 号总统公告。该公告针对曾于特定中国大学就读的中国研究生，并拒绝曾在“中国军民融合战略”相关的机构学习或从事研究的学生签证持有者入境。
按照官方的说法，“军民融合战略”是指中国采取或在其授意下，旨在“获取和转移外国技术，特别是关键和新兴技术，以融入并提升中国的军事能力”的行动。在 COVID-19 疫情后，拜登政府仍依据同一公告，继续拒绝中国学生再次入境美国。
鉴于中美之间的地缘政治，半导体研究、生物技术和人工智能等领域一直是联邦政府关注的领域。
政府关注“与中国共产党有关联”的原因?
美国向来视中国为潜在威胁，并审视所有其眼中的“中国人”，认为他们怀有敌意、不够忠诚。最近一项研究表明，四分之一的美国人认为华裔美国人对美国社会构成威胁，40% 的人认为相比美国，亚裔美国人更忠于其原籍国。
如果你是非公民，在办理移民手续时，与移民律师沟通至关重要。美国公民及移民服务局(USCIS)可能会询问你是否为中国共产党党员；披露相关信息，可能会导致移民申请因不符条件而不被受理，或入籍申请遭拒。
联邦政府对“与中国共产党有关联”的界定与解读?
与中国共产党“有关联”的界定过于宽泛和极其模糊，为大规模、无差别撤销在美中国留学生签证打开了方便之门。这项政策一旦实施，将波及数百万非党员及其家属，甚至可能引发中国留学生被全面逐出美国的后果。
在美中国学生签证持有者的宪法权利?
已经在美国境内的中国学生签证持有者根据美国宪法享有权利。更多信息，请点击此处。
我们将根据后续获得的信息，继续更新本信息概要。
