The United States immigration authorities are revoking student visas for foreign nationals in colleges across the country, including major institutions such as Harvard, Tufts and Stanford, in increasing student deportation threats that have raised concerns among campus officials.
The recent visa cancellations – often discovered by schools only after federal immigration records are updated – have affected both students and recent graduates, according to recent statements from campus authorities.
Increased enforcement under Trump administration
The move comes as the Trump administration doubles down on its enforcement in educational spaces and tightens oversight of international students.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said last month the State Department, under his direction, has revoked more than 300 visas, with most of those being student visas.
A student visa, generally known as an F-1 visa, allows foreign nationals to enter the US for full-time study.
California campuses see dozens of cancellations
Dozens of students in California have had their visas cancelled across multiple campuses, including UCLA, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz and Stanford, according to reports from the Los Angeles Times.
The report also added that two students filed separate lawsuits in a federal court in Los Angeles against the Trump administration, alleging their statuses were illegally terminated.
Ivy League and other universities also affected
Harvard also reported that three of its current students and two recent graduates have had their visas revoked. More cancellations have been reported at Dartmouth College, Minnesota State University, Arizona State University, and the University of Oregon, among other schools, according to reports from the Associated Press.
Universities are also being left in the dark – in some cases they said the government never directly informed them that they had students whose visas had been revoked – and they say they only learned of the visa cancellations after checking a government database.
Immigration authorities have the right to terminate student visas, and it is not unusual.
The government has the authority to revoke the legal status of people who it believes are affiliated with terrorism. Even foreign-born students who are lawful permanent residents or who are naturalized citizens risk losing their right to live in the United States if, for example, immigration officials determine that they are affiliated with a terrorist organization.
Federal immigration officials have recently made such accusations against students without providing proof.
Political backdrop: protests and policy clashes
The Trump administration is attempting to deport foreign students and has revoked multiple visas and warned universities of federal funding cuts over pro-Palestinian protests as well as other issues such as diversity, equity and inclusion programs and transgender policies.
The spate of revoking student visas comes amid the highly publicized arrests and detentions of pro-Palestinian student activists Mahmoud Khalil and Rumeysa Ozturk, who have been arrested and sent to detention centers while the government tries to deport them.
Their arrests came after they were accused of allegedly engaging in antisemitic activities, allegations their lawyers have denied.
Meanwhile, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced Wednesday it will begin screening social media activity of immigrants and visa applicants for evidence of antisemitic activity “as grounds for denying immigration benefit requests.”
This will immediately affect people applying for permanent residence status, as well as foreign students and aliens affiliated with education.
Criticism from rights groups
Despite criticism from rights groups who have raised alarms over free speech and surveillance concerns aimed at singling out immigrants, the government has defended its policies.
“It is a privilege to be granted a visa to live & study in the United States of America,” Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem posted on X last month.
“When you advocate for violence and terrorism, that privilege should be revoked, and you should not be in this country.”
