The Trump administration’s recent actions to revoke student visas have made a significant impact on public and private colleges and universities across the South, with reports emerging from institutions in the Sun Belt about changes to the immigration status of international students.
At least several universities have indicated that students have faced visa revocations or alterations in their immigration status as a result of checking records within the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), a national tracking system designed for the oversight of exchange visitors.
Florida International University has confirmed that 18 foreign students have had their F-1 student visas revoked.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M University has reported that 23 international students had their SEVIS records terminated, which, as stated by spokesperson Megan Lacy, essentially terminates an individual’s legal status in the United States.
Other institutions affected include New Mexico State, where nine scholars were reported to have their visas revoked; the University of North Carolina, which noted the termination of six student visas according to the Carolina Alumni Review; Middle Tennessee State, where six students likewise faced changes in their immigration status; and Rice University in Houston, with three students and two recent graduates experiencing revoked visas.
The University of Texas at Austin has indicated that “multiple” foreign students have encountered changes to their immigration status in recent days.
Despite these occurrences, Lacy mentioned that Texas A&M was not aware of any affected students participating in political activism, while other academic institutions did not specify the reasons behind the changes to the students’ immigration statuses.
This development arises as the Trump administration has pursued the revocation of visas for hundreds of scholars throughout colleges and universities.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, last month, estimated that around 300 foreign students had their visas revoked under the administration’s policies.
Concerns regarding this visa revocation policy intensified following the events of March 8, where a former postgraduate from Columbia University, who had been involved in student protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
These agents claimed that the individual’s student visa had been revoked, despite assertions from his wife, Noor Abdalla, that he was a legal permanent resident with a green card.
Khalil, the individual in question, is currently in custody in Louisiana, following a ruling that permitted his deportation, leading to widespread protests across the country.
Demonstrators argue that Khalil’s arrest signifies a troubling lack of due process, as well as an apparent attempt by the Trump administration to suppress dissenting voices on college campuses.
The Trump administration has been vocal in its crackdown on campus protests critical of Israel, particularly after the deadly events of October 7, 2023, where an attack by Hamas militants led to the deaths of 1,200 individuals and approximately 250 hostages taken, according to reports from Israel.
The ensuing conflict in Gaza has further resulted in significant civilian casualties; Palestinian health officials estimate that Israeli strikes have led to the deaths of around 50,500 people in the region.
The administration argues that it possesses the authority to deport Khalil due to his alleged leadership in activities aligned with Hamas, which is classified as a terrorist organization.
However, Khalil’s legal team asserts that there is no supporting evidence that Khalil has provided aid to any terror groups.
In a move that supports deportation, Rubio referenced a less-known provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, allowing the Secretary of State to personally determine the suitability of an immigrant’s continued presence in the country.
An immigration judge, upon reviewing the case, sided with the Trump administration and ruled that Khalil could indeed be expelled from the United States, giving him until April 23 to apply for relief.
Simultaneously, Khalil is also contesting the legitimacy of his arrest in federal court in New Jersey.
As the government’s arguments against Khalil expanded to include previously undisclosed reasons—such as an alleged failure to provide certain information on his residency application—the broader targeting of foreign-born students by the White House is evident.
“Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” Rubio stated during an address in Guyana last month, underscoring the administration’s intention to crack down on voices opposing its policies.
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