Ken Griffin Urges Government to Grant Visas to International Graduates

Citadel CEO Ken Griffin urged the U.S. government to modernize its immigration policies by granting visas to international students graduating from American universities, arguing the country must do more to retain top talent. Speaking at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference in Beverly Hills on May 7, the billionaire hedge fund manager emphasized the economic imperative of welcoming high-skilled immigrants.

“It should literally be if you graduate from one of America’s great universities, great graduate schools, you just get a visa stamp to your degree—and, frankly, a ‘welcome to America,’” said Griffin, a prominent Republican donor.

Currently, international students are only authorized to stay in the U.S. for a limited period of time (in most cases, one year) after graduation unless they land a full-time job that sponsors a work visa. Griffin’s suggestion also came as the Trump administration abruptly revoked thousands of student visas last month, although many have since been restored

Last year, while on the campaign trial, Donald Trump said on a podcast that international students should be granted permanent residence after graduating. His campaign later walked back those remarks, clarifying that only “the most skilled graduates” would be allowed to remain in the U.S. following “the most aggressive vetting process in U.S. history.”

Griffin, who has an estimated net worth of $43 billion, noted that a large portion of America’s “human capital” is made up of immigrants and praised the “grit and determination” demonstrated by those who leave their home countries behind for the U.S.

“We’re not doing enough to make access to staying in America either easy or preferred for so many of these students,” he said.

Despite broad agreement among lawmakers, Griffin expressed frustration at the lack of progress on the issue. “That one befuddles me because if I meet with members of the House or Senate, they almost always agree with that statement,” he said. “I do not understand our unwillingness to embrace a path to citizenship for those who come here for their education.”

Griffin has spoken out in favor of immigration reform before. In November, he criticized Trump’s proposal to deport all undocumented immigrants and called instead for a more “thoughtful” approach. Earlier that month, he said that the U.S. should make it easier for the “best and brightest” to remain in the country, noting that many of Citadel’s top executives are immigrants who have found success in America.