Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced legislation on Tuesday to expand federal oversight of foreign nationals studying and working at U.S. universities, citing national security concerns.
The Educational Visa Transparency Act of 2026 would require colleges and universities that receive federal funding to report detailed information on non-citizen students, professors and administrators to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, according to the bill.
Under the proposal, institutions would have to submit a list of all individuals on visas, including their visa categories, on a recurring basis.
The legislation also authorizes multiple federal agencies—including the U.S. Departments of Justice and of Homeland Security—to access the data for enforcement and oversight purposes.
Cotton said the measure responds to incidents involving foreign nationals allegedly attempting to smuggle hazardous biological materials into the United States while presenting themselves as academic researchers.
“Unmonitored foreign nationals in the labs and research centers of our colleges and universities pose a grave national security threat,” Cotton said. “My bill will require tracking all student and faculty visas to ensure foreign nationals aren’t stealing valuable research.”
The legislation has been referred to committee and has not yet been scheduled for a vote.
