Data from the Open Doors report and related benchmarking surveys show U.S. colleges posted a 17% decline in new international student enrollments this fall, and total international enrollment also slipped. Institutions and international‑education groups attribute the drop to visa delays, consular processing problems and restrictive federal policies. NAFSA and other sector groups warned that the shift is widening opportunities for competitors in Asia and the U.K., and campus international‑recruiting operations face immediate revenue and diversity shortfalls. The decline intensifies pressure on admissions offices, graduate programs and workforce pipelines that rely on international talent.