AMERICAN CITIZEN STUDENTS FIRST
Empowering American Citizen Students for a Stronger Future
Diversity in Academia: A Tipping Point
What was once framed as global exchange has become institutional dependence. Foreign student enrollment—especially in high-demand STEM fields—has surged beyond sustainable levels. This dominance has quietly undermined opportunity for American citizen students, distorted campus priorities, and eroded trust in the fairness of higher education.
A Path Forward: The U.S. Foreign Student Enrollment Levy
The “U.S. Foreign Student Enrollment Levy” is a bold, actionable plan to rebalance our education system by prioritizing American citizens. By 2028, it aims to reduce foreign student enrollment by 50%, opening up hundreds of thousands of academic and career opportunities for U.S. citizens. A university-imposed levy—up to $12,500 per foreign student annually by 2028—will generate funds for citizen scholarships, infrastructure upgrades, and national security vetting. Here’s how the Levy will repair what higher education has lost:
1. Reclaiming Opportunities for U.S. Students
By reducing foreign enrollment by 350,000 students over four years, the Levy restores competitive access to public and private universities. This shift ensures American citizen students—especially from middle-class and rural communities—are no longer pushed aside by institutions chasing full-pay foreign tuition.
Example: In state schools where 20%+ of engineering seats go to foreign students, U.S. applicants will regain access to high-value programs once out of reach.
2. Restoring Fairness in Higher Education
Universities currently profit from foreign students, who often pay 2–3x more in tuition, creating a two-tiered admissions system that favors international applicants with wealth or institutional sponsorship. The Levy disrupts this imbalance by removing the financial incentive to displace citizen students.
Example: An in-state citizen applicant denied admission to a STEM program will no longer compete against wealthy foreign applicants primarily valued for revenue.
3. Rebuilding the Path from Education to Employment
Roughly 50% of foreign students remain in the U.S. workforce after graduation—taking jobs, internships, and research posts that American graduates should be filling. The Levy closes this backdoor immigration pathway, ensuring that education leads to opportunity for American citizens, not displacement.
Example: Levy proceeds will fund up to $20 billion annually in STEM scholarships and internship pipelines exclusively for U.S. citizen students, restoring the integrity of our academic-to-career pipeline.
4. Strengthening National Unity and Security
Foreign student overrepresentation—especially from adversarial nations—raises serious national security concerns. The Levy will fund enhanced vetting, reduce enrollment from hostile foreign governments, and ensure that American classrooms are led by those who share a long-term stake in the nation’s future.
Example: By 2028, all universities accepting foreign students will be required to submit annual transparency reports on admissions origins and vetting compliance, restoring public trust in academia.
Addressing the Risks
- Revenue Gaps for Universities:
Solution: Levy proceeds will fund need-based citizen tuition and infrastructure, offsetting lost foreign revenue.
- Loss of Diversity:
Solution: Maintain limited, vetted international partnerships focused on academic excellence, not mass enrollment.
- STEM Pipeline Gaps:
Solution: Launch citizen-focused STEM initiatives using Levy funds to train and retain U.S. talent.
- Diplomatic Pushback:
Solution: Frame the policy as sovereign academic rebalancing, not a ban—open to mutual partnerships grounded in fairness.
Join the Movement
The “U.S. Foreign Student Enrollment Levy” is more than a tax—it’s a long-overdue course correction. It’s about restoring dignity and opportunity to American citizen students, realigning our campuses with our national interests, and re-establishing trust in the promise of U.S. education.
With over 700,000 seats opening to American citizens and more than $100 billion in revenue projected through 2028, this policy re-centers higher education on who it was built to serve: the American people.
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