[dragonwriter]

> This seems designed/intended to chase away immigrants.

No, it's designed to chase away non-immigrant student visa holders.

But it's part of a broader set of policies designed to make the US hostile to foreigners, whether current visa holders, non-immigrants visa applicants, or immigrant visa applicants.

[RhysU]

Or, it could be designed to encourage universities to hold in person classes.

In particular, to pressure those universities that have business models relying on foreign student tuition.