WASHINGTON, D.C. – FWD.us President Todd Schulte issued the following statement today after the Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule imposing new restrictions on international students and researchers’ ability to remain in the U.S. while completing their programs:

“These new restrictions will only make it harder for international students and researchers to complete their studies in the U.S. and contribute their education to the U.S. workforce after graduating. These changes will hurt America’s global competitiveness, hinder businesses’ ability to hire U.S.-educated talent, impose significant and unnecessary costs on universities and students, and increase the workload for federal agencies already struggling with backlogs and delays. This rule will create more bureaucratic backlogs and delays and help grind the legal immigration system to a halt.”