According to NBC's investigative reporting, the Trump administration has revoked the legal status of over 4,700 international students since President Donald Trump took office. This crackdown, widely viewed as politically motivated, has targeted students from various countries, including China, India, Turkey, and Iran. US media have reported that international student visas are often canceled without prior notice or explanation, creating widespread fear and uncertainty on American campuses. More than 130 international students across the US have filed lawsuits accusing the Trump administration of illegally revoking their visas. On April 15 alone, judges in at least seven states issued emergency injunctions to prevent immigration officials from deporting affected students.
Cases of revoked visas have been reported in at least 32 states, impacting prestigious private institutions such as Harvard University and Stanford University, as well as public universities. According to Inside Higher Ed, as of April 16, over 1,300 international students and recent graduates have lost their visas due to the Trump administration's anti-immigration policies and actions described as "anti-Semitic" by critics. Citing data from the American Immigration Lawyers Association, Reuters reported that over 4,700 students' records in the "Student and Exchange Visitor Information System" (SEVIS) have been "terminated" since Jan. 20, effectively rendering these students undocumented and at risk of deportation.
US media note that visa revocations are often sudden and lack clear justification, fueling panic on campuses. The reasons provided by immigration authorities have raised doubts, with some students accused of posing risks to US foreign policy simply for participating in pro-Palestine anti-war demonstrations. Immigration authorities have cited the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act to justify these actions. An immigration attorney revealed that some students lost their legal status over minor infractions such as traffic violations, while others were left in the dark about why they were targeted.
Over 130 students take legal action
Court documents reveal that over 130 international students have filed lawsuits nationwide, accusing the Trump administration of unlawfully revoking their visas, thus subjecting them to the risk of arrest, detention, and deportation. On April 15, judges in Massachusetts, Montana, and Wisconsin joined efforts to block federal authorities from acting against students who have suddenly lost their legal status.
In Boston, Judge Patti Saris halted the arrest of a 22-year-old Chinese student enrolled at MIT. Meanwhile, Montana District Judge Brian Morris ordered authorities to reinstate the legal status of an Iranian student and a Turkish student, both of whom had clean records and no involvement in political protests on campus.
Four Chinese students, enrolled at prestigious institutions such as UC Berkeley and Carnegie Mellon University, have filed lawsuits against the US Department of Homeland Security and its Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division. The Silicon Valley branch of the DeHeng Law Offices, under attorney Zhu Keliang, submitted a motion to the California District Court for a nationwide preliminary injunction to stop further visa revocations. Zhu disclosed that his team received inquiries from 50 to 60 international students over the past weekend, with 36 providing written testimonies. Notably, 30 of these testimonies came from Chinese mainland students, suggesting potential political motivations to expel Chinese students from the US.
Impact on US higher education
Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants' Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, criticized US immigration policies as being driven by xenophobia, white nationalism, and racism.
The revoked visas have severely disrupted the academic and professional plans of affected students, including PhD candidates nearing dissertation defense and recent graduates employed in the US.
Several immigration lawyers revealed that some clients have chosen to leave the US voluntarily to avoid the risk of arrest by ICE agents. According to The New York Times, the Trump administration's actions have intensified anxiety among international students and scholars, undermining the global appeal of US higher education institutions.
Trump suppresses international students
AI surveillance of social media
In March, US media reported that the State Department had launched a "Catch and Revoke" program, leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to monitor social media accounts of thousands of international students. The program aims to identify those suspected of supporting terrorist organizations or posing security risks, with visa revocation as the consequence.
Mass visa revocations
Inside Higher Ed reported that as of April 16, over 1,300 international students and recent graduates have lost their visas under the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The American Immigration Lawyers Association confirmed that over 4,700 students' SEVIS records had been "terminated" since Jan. 20.
In many cases, visas were revoked without prior notice, and the reasons provided were often unconvincing. Some students lost their status due to minor traffic violations, while others had no criminal history or accusations against them.
Arrests and deportations
On April 14, US authorities arrested a Palestinian student from Columbia University during his US naturalization interview and sought his deportation, citing his participation in pro-Palestine anti-war protests. Another Columbia student was arrested in March for similar reasons.
(Source: Ta Kung Pao)
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