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Trump’s restrictions on Chinese students stifle American companies, universities and innovation

In an op-ed, Brian Denton shares his perspective on the damages done by placing restrictions on Chinese students in the U.S.


Views expressed by the author are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Michigan Engineering.

Written by Brian Denton

On May 29, President Trump made a sweeping proclamation that threatens to cut off American universities from the valuable contributions that Chinese students make to our scholarly pursuits, and to jeopardize the $13 billion that they contribute to the United States economy each year.

By suspending entry of certain students and researchers from the People’s Republic of China, the White House is also stifling a flow of STEM talent that is critical to the success of American universities, as well as to companies like Amazon, Apple, Ford and IBM.

Much remains to be understood about how this will affect the more than 350,000 Chinese students enrolled in American universities. But it has the potential for severe consequences for institutes of higher education and the economic security of the United States. It pertains specifically to the “F” and “J” type visas that allow people to visit the United States for the purposes of learning and conducting scientific research.

As a professor and the chair of the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering at the University of Michigan, I have the opportunity to teach and work alongside students from all over the world, including many from China.

This article is republished from The Hill. Read the original article.