The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on Wednesday a proposed new rule that, if enacted, would limit the duration of stay permitted for holders of certain visas, including foreign students, in the United States.

Under the rule proposed by the administration of President Donald Trump, the federal government would set fixed periods of admission and extensions for foreign students and exchange visitors (educational and cultural), not to exceed four years, according to a DHS statement.

The proposed rule sets "an initial admission period of up to 240 days for representatives of foreign media, with foreign media representatives eligible for an extension of up to 240 days, provided it does not exceed the duration of the temporary activity or assignment."

Additionally, "the time-limited admission for foreign students, exchange visitor programs, and foreign media classifications will require these foreigners to apply for an extension of their stay with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), necessitating regular evaluations by the DHS to remain in the United States for a longer period."

An unnamed DHS spokesperson stated in the release, "Previous administrations have long allowed foreign students and other visa holders to remain in the United States almost indefinitely, which poses security risks, costs taxpayers significant amounts, and harms American citizens."

The spokesperson added, "The new proposed rule will definitively end this abuse by limiting the duration of stay permitted for holders of certain visas, thereby alleviating the burden on the federal government to properly oversee foreign students."

The new rule will limit "the duration that foreign students, professors, doctors, and other visa holders are permitted to stay in the United States without undergoing additional screening and scrutiny."

According to the department, "Since 1978, foreign students holding F and J visas have been allowed to enter the United States for an indefinite period, known as 'duration of status.'"

It continued, "Unlike other visas, holders of these visas are permitted to remain in the United States indefinitely without undergoing further scrutiny and verification. Foreign students have taken advantage of this, becoming permanently enrolled in higher education programs to stay in the United States."

The new rule was first proposed during President Trump's first term in 2020 but was withdrawn by the administration of former President Joe Biden in 2021, "which has impacted American taxpayers."