A UCLA international graduate student has been detained by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) while attempting to cross the U.S.-Mexico border.
This action comes as part of a broader series of visa cancellations and deportations under the Trump administration, particularly focusing on foreign students perceived to be involved in pro-Palestinian activism.
The university has confirmed the student’s detention but has not disclosed her name, nationality, or specific details regarding her situation.
Faculty members and legal representatives trying to reach the student shared that she is a woman who was taken into custody on Wednesday night while at the San Ysidro border crossing near San Diego.
She managed to contact a UCLA representative before being detained, according to faculty members who organized an on-campus rally in her support on Thursday evening.
Mary Osako, UCLA’s vice chancellor for strategic communications, stated, “UCLA has learned that an international graduate student was detained by United States Customs and Border Protection while attempting to enter the United States from Mexico.”
She continued, “The student remains in the custody of CBP, and we are actively working to learn more information.
Our international students are an essential part of our Bruin community, and we remain fully committed to supporting their ability to learn and thrive at UCLA.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), overseeing CBP, indicated that it could not comment on individual cases without identifying details.
Despite attempts by faculty and an immigration attorney to contact the detained student, as of Friday, they had been unsuccessful.
There is currently no information on why the student was in Mexico or the circumstances surrounding her detention.
Since late March, the Trump administration has canceled over 1,000 visas for foreign students in the United States, with more than 120 of these cancellations occurring in California, including about 20 at UCLA.
On April 4, a similar incident occurred at UC San Diego, where an international student was detained while trying to cross the border, subsequently being denied entry and deported.
The reasons behind the UCLA student’s detention remain unclear, particularly concerning the status of her visa and whether her enrollment status in the DHS database has changed.
A spokesperson for UCLA cited student privacy laws as a reason for not sharing further details about the student’s visa or enrollment status.
International student visas provide legal entry into the United States for educational purposes, while their status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is crucial for maintaining that legal permission.
The Trump administration has not provided specific explanations for the mass cancellations of student visas and enrollment statuses.
In recent statements, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that the State Department is revoking visas for individuals acting against national interests, which reportedly includes some who participated in protests related to Israel.
Attorneys representing several students have noted that the reasons given for visa and SEVIS cancellations often involve minor legal infractions, such as traffic violations, which would not have traditionally warranted such severe repercussions in previous administrations.
In response to these actions, three Southern California students have initiated a lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging that their statuses were improperly terminated.
The students, who filed their suits anonymously, cited various minor infractions, including dismissed misdemeanor charges and non-violent criminal history.
More aggressive immigration enforcement tactics have been reported especially at elite institutions in the Northeast, where foreign students advocating for pro-Palestinian causes have faced arrests and deportations.
High-profile cases include Mahmoud Khalil, a recent Columbia graduate of Palestinian descent, currently held in custody while his legal team fights against his deportation.
Similarly, Rümeysa Öztürk, a Turkish student from Tufts University, is also detained, with her lawyers alleging she is being targeted for an opinion piece she authored criticizing Israel.
The specifics of the UCLA student’s circumstance, including any potential involvement in pro-Palestinian activism, are unknown.
A rally at UCLA drew around 150 supporters on Thursday, where they voiced their commitment to the detained student, displaying signs with messages such as “Hands off our students” and chanting slogans like “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA.”
Graeme Blair, a UCLA associate professor of political science, remarked during the rally, “We’ve been warning the university for weeks that students would be detained.
We’d like UCLA to stand up for their students.”
Ariela Gross, a UCLA law and history professor, addressed attendees, stating, “We have a moral obligation … the UC has a moral obligation” to defend its students.
The UCLA Faculty Association and student activist groups are urging the university to extend legal assistance to students detained by immigration authorities or facing visa cancellations.
Additionally, they are requesting that UCLA allow international students who leave the U.S. to continue their studies remotely.
An advisory issued on March 19 warned foreign students about the potential impact of evolving federal policies on their travel plans.
Later, on April 4, the UCLA Dashew Center, which supports international students, issued guidance about changing visa policies and their associated uncertainties.
Sam Nahidi, the director of the Dashew Center, emphasized that “the primary purpose of a student or scholar visa is to pursue academic studies and research,” indicating that involvement in any arrests or misconduct could lead to visa termination.
The following day, UCLA reported a total of 12 visa cancellations, reflecting the administration’s tightening immigration policies.
image source from：https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-04-17/ucla-international-student-detained-us-mexico-border
