A documentary by commentator Steve Cortes argues that Chinese nationals are being given spots at U.S. universities at the expense of American applicants and that the trend could pose national security concerns. Cortes points to double-digit international enrollments at selective schools — including the University of Illinois, which he says has about 6,000 Chinese students — and warns some may be engaged in espionage. He also contends that full-tuition international students can displace qualified local applicants. The film’s claims are presented as Cortes's assertions and are part of broader U.S.-China political conversations.
Documentary Claims Chinese Students Displace Americans at U.S. Universities, Raises Security and Admissions Concerns
Chinese nationals displace Americans at US universities: Documentary
A new documentary by political commentator Steve Cortes argues that many U.S. colleges are reserving places for Chinese nationals in ways that disadvantage American applicants and could pose national security risks.
Cortes highlights selective institutions — including the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which he examines in the film — and points to campuses that report double-digit shares of international students. He says his primary concern is the hundreds of thousands of Chinese students enrolled at U.S. institutions nationwide.
“We know that some of these students, perhaps a large cohort of these students, are spying on us. They are saboteurs,” Cortes said on the program On Balance.
The documentary also raises an admissions and financial argument: Cortes contends that colleges sometimes favor full-tuition-paying international students over highly qualified local applicants, creating trade-offs that can hurt American families. He cites the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as an example, saying about 6,000 Chinese nationals study there while, in his words, "outstanding kids from Rockford and Peoria and the Chicago suburbs cannot get in."
Cortes frames these claims against a broader U.S.-China backdrop: President Trump has said he plans to visit Beijing in April and expects to host China's leader Xi Jinping for a state visit next year — events that amplify public attention to U.S.-China relations.
Context and Caveats
The film presents Cortes's perspective and assertions; some of the security-related claims he makes (including allegations of spying) are presented as concerns rather than independently verified facts. Universities and experts note that international students contribute to campus diversity, research and tuition revenue, while also creating complex admissions trade-offs for institutions balancing academic, financial and legal considerations.
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