The United States is going through a delicate economic situation, and it is mostly due to the policies adopted by Donald Trump. Since his arrival to power for a second time in January 2025, all the policies he has been approving have a common denominator: cutting social assistance and tax cuts for the wealthy. There are many examples that can be given to demonstrate these claims: cuts to Medicaid, Amtrak, SNAP, subsidies for child care, rural hospitals, fire departments across the country, and an extensive list more.
As if all these cuts to their fiscal policy were not enough, now it’s the turn of all those travelers who want to enter the country with a non-immigrant visa. The most affected are the students traveling with visas to American universities, who will have to bear the cost of the visa integrity fee. According to CBS News, students will have to pay a total of $785 to enter the country.
Trump’s cutbacks
Despite the Republican President Trump’s tendency to embellish and decorate the measures he implements with flashy and grandiose names. Referring to your latest law as The Big One Beautiful Act or mentioning ‘the free world’ are clear examples. However, it seems that the technique works, as people appear unaware that behind these names lies a list of measures that share the common denominator of cutting social aid, increasing taxes on the poorest, and reducing income for the richest. These cuts are affecting workers and ordinary people in the country, who see their income not increasing while their expenses do.
Where has Trump made these cuts?
There are countless areas where Trump has carried out these cuts with his new financial policy. All the money raised is seen to be invested in abhorrent immigration laws, defense, and in eliminating energy policies related to renewable energies and the fight against climate change. But the question is, where is so much money being cut from? Some of the affected areas are:
- Medicaid.
- Education subsidies.
- Food assistance.
- Housing.
- Environmental protection.
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
- Funds for road and infrastructure repair.
- Child care subsidies.Veteran services.
- Reduction of police budgets.
- Rural hospitals.
- Fire Departments across the country.
Visa integrity fee
Within the Big Beautiful Bill Act enacted by Trump and approved on July 3 by the House of Representatives, there is already a measure in place, the Visa Integrity fee. With this new measure, all travelers wishing to enter the United States with a non-immigrant visa will have to make a payment of $250 (at minimum). It affects tourists coming from Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Experts believe that this is a deterrent measure for tourism, as they not only have to face the costs of a trip, but also the entry bond to the country.
Foreign students
Many foreign students travel to the United States to participate in exchange programs or to pursue their studies at universities in the country. However, they will also be affected by this new measure. Those applying for a student visa have to face a payment of $185 for the application. In addition, the Exchange Visitor Program also has a cost of $350. Now, this new Visa Integrity fee has been imposed, adding $250. According to CBS News, students who want to study in the United States with a non-immigrant visa will have to pay a total of $785!
Government data shows that in 2023 more than 10 million non-immigrant visas were issued for foreign travelers in the United States. It is undoubtedly a strategy of the government’s fiscal policy to collect more taxes, as if there weren’t enough already.
How will this new measure affect the United States?
