Crisis Hits Campus: Thousands of International Students Face Sudden Visa Revocations Across America

Some colleges around the country report that their visas for international students have been suddenly revoked. They are concerned about what seems to be an increased level of government scrutiny.

There are many reasons why visas can be cancelled, but college leaders claim that the government quietly terminates students’ legal residence status without giving students or schools much notice. This is a change from the past and puts students at risk of detention or deportation.

Harvard, Stanford, and Michigan are among the colleges that discovered that students’ legal status had been terminated.

The Trump administration targeted students involved in pro-Palestinian speech or activism. A few students were detained, including Mahmoud Khali, a green-card holder and leader of Columbia University protests.

Visas are being revoked in more schools, even when there is no connection between the protests and the students. Some cases cite past offenses, such as traffic infractions. Some colleges are still unsure of the reasons and want to know more.

Michelle Mittelstadt is the director of public affairs for the Migration Policy Institute. She said that what you see with international students reflects the increased scrutiny the Trump administration has on immigrants in all categories.

Students and college officials have learned about these changes only after checking a federal database to see changes in an individual’s status.

In order to get a student visa (usually an F-1), students from other countries have to meet certain requirements. Students who have been admitted to an American school must then go through a process of application and interview at the U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.

Students with an F-1 visa are required to show that they can afford their studies in the U.S. Students on an F-1 visa must maintain good academic standing and have a limited ability to work outside of campus during their program.

The State Department is responsible for the management of entry visas. The Student and Exchange Visitors Program, under the Department of Homeland Security, oversees international students’ legal status once they arrive in the U.S.

When they checked the database maintained by Homeland Security, leaders at many colleges discovered that some of their international students’ legal status had been terminated. College officials claim that in the past, visas were usually revoked when schools notified the government of students who had fallen out of status.

In the past, students who lost their visas were permitted to maintain their legal status and finish their studies.

They could apply for a new visa with the State Department if they wanted to return and leave again. If a student loses their residency status, they will have to leave the country immediately or face detention from immigration authorities.

Leaders in higher education are concerned that the arrests and revocations may have a chilling impact on international education within the United States.

Sarah Spreitzer is vice president for government relations at the American Council on Education. She said that the lack of clarity about what leads to revocations creates a fearful atmosphere among students.

She said that “the very public actions taken by ICE, and the Department of Homeland Security, around some of these student, where they remove these students from their home or their street, is not normally done unless there’s a security concern when a visa is revoked,” “This threat of a very rapid removal is new.”

Colleges have sent out messages on their campuses asking for the answers from the federal government as to what caused the terminations. Some colleges have reminded students to take extra precautions when traveling and recommended that they bring their passports and immigration documents.

Leaders in the college sector spoke about a growing feeling of anxiety and uncertainty.

In an email, Marcelo Suarez Orozco, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston, wrote: “These are unprecedented days, and our normal guiding principle for living in a democratic society is being challenged.” We must prepare, protect, and respond thoughtfully, given the rapidity and magnitude of change.