Hundreds of international students were forced to leave the United States after the Trump administration’s active crackdown on student visas.
The report shows that the Department of Homeland Security has stepped up efforts to identify and expel students, including those who have not been charged with crimes. “Don’t try to stay in the United States. The federal government will find you.” An email from the department was reportedly shared by immigration attorney Nicole Micheroni.
Dustin Baxter, an immigration attorney who represents more than 100 affected students in a lawsuit against the government, said visa revocation is taking place at will. “They will not only revoke the person’s student visa – even without belief, if there is only arrest, sometimes not even arrest, there is only encounter or even ticket, maybe a ticket – they will revoke the student visa.”
Some students learned that they were revoked only after contacting the school, and many institutions were left in the dark. Stanford University reported that it found that its four students and two recent graduates lost their visas only during a routine April 4 inspection of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database.
This marks a major change in policy. Traditionally, designated school officials were responsible for initiating visa revocation in Seviz. But, according to Jeff Joseph, president-elect of immigration and customs enforcement of the American Immigration Lawyer Association, unilateral action is now being taken around schools.
One of the most extensive cases involving Tufts PhD student Rümumeysaöztürk, who was immigrated and detained shortly after his visa was revoked without prior notice. According to reports, surveillance video presented in court captured Öztürk, “screaming fear and chaos” were taken away.
The Trump administration defends the legal provisions that allow visa revocation on national security or foreign policy grounds. Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned a clause that allows visa cancellation if the individual’s existence constitutes “serious foreign policy consequences.”
A statement from the State Council advocates the government’s “widespread power” to revoke visas at any time even after issuance. “We keep checking visa holders… We will revoke their visas and deport them [follow the rules],” the agency warned.
This development has caused widespread panic among international students, and even without formal charges or due process, many are now facing sudden detention, deportation and academic disruption.
