U.S. Vice President JD Vance has warned that foreign students on student visas could face deportation if their presence is deemed to be against the country’s best interests.

Speaking during a Fox News interview Thursday night, Vance confirmed that this measure is part of a wider strategy by the Trump Administration to intensify deportation efforts.

Vance stressed that the issue goes beyond free speech and revolves around national security and the decision of who should be allowed to join the American community.

He emphasized that both the Secretary of State and the President have the final say on whether a foreign student should remain in the country. If they are found to lack legal grounds to stay, deportation would follow.

“While some may see it as a free speech issue, this is primarily about national security and, more importantly, about who we, as the American people, allow to join our national community,” Vance stated. “If the President and Secretary of State decide that an individual shouldn’t be in the U.S. and has no legal right to remain, it’s that simple.”

Vance acknowledged that the number of deportations could rise, although he could not estimate the exact figure.

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In addition to national security concerns, the Vice President raised the issue of foreign students taking spots at prestigious U.S. universities.

Vance argued that wealthy foreign students, particularly those from countries like China, often occupy spaces that could have been given to qualified American students, especially those from middle-class backgrounds.

“A lot of these foreign students, especially from places like China, pay full tuition. Meanwhile, qualified American students from the heartland are being denied spots at elite universities like Columbia or Harvard because a wealthy foreign student is taking their place,” Vance said. “It’s not just bad for national security—it’s detrimental to the American Dream, denying deserving kids the opportunity to attend top universities.”

The conversation about foreign students comes as international enrollment in the U.S. has seen significant growth, with countries like Nigeria contributing to the surge.

In 2023, Nigerian student numbers in the U.S. reached a record high, with 20,029 students as of the 2023/2024 academic year, making Nigeria the seventh-largest source of international students in the country.

Reported by Punch