Its destructive embrace of protectionism is not merely directed against foreign goods and capital. For instance, a rule finalized in early July replaces "duration of status" for foreign students, exchange visitors, and foreign journalists with fixed admission periods. In other words, it forces international students to seek government approval to stay beyond four years, regardless of whether their studies can be completed that quickly. That means we can dispense with the idea that if a foreign engineer gets a job, an American engineer must have lost one. Giving a cold shoulder to foreign students is particularly absurd when you consider Washington's obsession with competing against China.