Anna Paulina Luna urges Rubio to revoke all Chinese student visas after Trump speech
WASHINGTON, DC: Rep Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla) is calling on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revoke every active F-1 and J-1 visa held by Chinese nationals studying in the United States, marking one of the broadest congressional proposals yet targeting Chinese students.
In a July 20 letter first reported by Fox News Digital, Luna linked her demand to recently declassified intelligence cited by President Donald Trump, who alleged in a national address last week that China had obtained data from 220 million US voter files as part of a years-long effort to interfere in American elections.
The proposal significantly widens the administration's national security debate, extending it from election security to higher education and immigration policy.
Luna seeks blanket visa revocation
In her letter to Rubio, Luna urged the State Department to immediately suspend and revoke all active F-1 and J-1 visas issued to Chinese nationals while also halting the issuance of new student visas pending a broader review of security procedures.
"As I stated publicly following the President's address: every single Chinese student visa needs to be canceled immediately," Luna wrote, calling the move "a necessary and proportionate response" to what she described as a state-sponsored effort to undermine US elections.
Unlike previous proposals focused on students linked to sensitive research or the Chinese military, Luna's request applies to all Chinese students studying at American colleges and universities.
Trump's speech drives proposal
Luna's demand follows Trump's nationally televised address last week, during which he said newly declassified documents showed the People's Republic of China had carried out what he called the largest compromise of election data in US history.
According to Trump, Chinese actors obtained personal information from approximately 220 million American voter files, including names, addresses, phone numbers and political affiliations. He argued the information could be used to facilitate election-related interference and other malicious activities.
Luna cited those allegations directly in urging the State Department to take immediate action against Chinese student visa holders.
State Department stops short of acting on request
The State Department has not indicated whether it plans to act on Luna's request. Responding to Fox News Digital, a department spokesperson said the agency generally does not comment on congressional correspondence but added that the Trump administration "is protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process."
If adopted, Luna's proposal would represent one of the most sweeping restrictions ever proposed on Chinese students in the United States, affecting thousands enrolled at American universities.
It also signals that congressional Republicans are increasingly seeking to connect national security concerns with higher education, potentially setting the stage for a broader debate over Chinese student visas, academic exchanges and US-China relations.
