In recent events, universities across the United States have reported that some of their international students are unexpectedly facing visa revocations, raising concerns about increased governmental scrutiny. Typically, visas can be revoked for various reasons, but educational institutions are observing that the government is now terminating students’ legal residency status with minimal warning, creating a new form of vulnerability, as these students may face detention or deportation.
Prominent universities, including Harvard, Stanford, Michigan, UCLA, and Ohio State University, have discovered this abrupt change in visa status among their students. Under the Trump administration, there have been instances where students involved in pro-Palestinian activities faced detention, exemplified by Mahmoud Khalil, a student leader at Columbia University. However, schools are also seeing visas revoked from students without any apparent links to activism, sometimes citing infractions like traffic violations, or with reasons that remain unclear, prompting colleges to seek further information.
Michelle Mittelstadt, director of public affairs at the Migration Policy Institute, explained that the scrutiny international students face is part of a broader examination of all immigrant categories under the current administration. Colleges and students have often discovered changes in visa status only upon reviewing a federal database.
In the United States, international students usually require an F-1 visa, necessitating an application and interview at a U.S. embassy or consulate. Students must demonstrate financial stability to complete their education and maintain good academic standing. Their entry visas are managed by the State Department, while the Department of Homeland Security oversees their status within the U.S.
University leaders often learn of changes when checking the Homeland Security database, which shows that students’ legal status has been terminated, differing from past practices where visas were only revoked after schools indicated a change in status. The recent approach forces students to leave immediately or face potential detention.
These new developments have education officials concerned that such actions might deter international students from choosing to study in the U.S. Sarah Spreitzer, vice president of government relations at the American Council on Education, noted that the publicized actions by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security, involving the removal of students, are a novel approach unless there are security concerns.
Colleges are communicating with their communities, seeking explanations for these terminations, and advising students to take precautions while traveling and to have necessary documentation at all times. The situation has caused uncertainty and anxiety among university leaders. Marcelo Suárez-Orozco, Chancellor of the University of Massachusetts Boston, emphasized the need for careful readiness and protective measures during these “unprecedented times.” He mentioned that legal residency status was canceled for two students and five other university affiliates.