US revokes visas daily, will continue, says Trump admin on student anxiety

Trump administration's swift move to terminate the legal status of thousands of international students has created widespread fear

America’s world-class university system has long made it a destination for ambitious students from around the world. The United States hosts more than 300,000 students from India, more than from any other country. Nearly 100,000 Indians are employed through the OPT programme.

 

However, the Trump administration’s swift move to terminate the legal status of thousands of international students — through the cancellation of SEVIS records — and in some cases revoke their visas, has created widespread fear. Students are now reluctant even to return home for summer holidays or leave the US for research work.

 

A PhD student at the University of California, San Diego, had planned a trip with friends to Hawaii. But after hearing reports of students across the country losing their legal status, the trip was called off.

 

 

“I probably am going to skip that to ... have as few interactions with governments as possible,” the student told Associated Press, speaking anonymously out of fear of being targeted.

 

At the University of Illinois, another student said he has been keeping a low profile since a classmate was forced to leave the country after their status was terminated.

 

He had already booked a trip to visit his family in Asia this summer but now fears he may not be allowed back into the United States.

 

“Right now," he said, "I'm afraid I might not be able to come back.”

 

In response to a query from Business Standard about students’ anxiety over travelling abroad before the next semester, a US State Department spokesperson said, “The Department of States revokes visas every day in order to secure America's borders and keep our communities safe — and will continue to do so.”

 

The spokesperson added, “It is committed to protecting our nation and its citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process.”

 

The spokesperson also explained the difference between visas and SEVIS, saying, “The Department of State adjudicates F, M, and J nonimmigrant visas overseas for students and exchange visitors. A student or exchange visitor issued a visa uses that visa to travel to a United States port of entry, airport, or land border crossing, and request admission from US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The CBP officer determines eligibility to enter the United States.”

 

“Once admitted into the United States, the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), administered by the Department of Homeland Security, tracks and monitors schools, exchange visitor programmes, and F, M, and J nonimmigrants while they visit the United States and participate in the US education system,” the spokesperson said.

 

What students can do if SEVIS is terminated

 

SEVIS revocation means a student falls out of legal status in the country.

 

Charles Kuck, an immigration lawyer, told Business Standard that students in this situation must hire a lawyer immediately.

 

Students have the legal right to sue the government for illegal actions, said Kuck, who is representing 133 international students who had their legal status revoked, about a third of whom are from India.

 

An Associated Press review of university statements, official correspondence, and court documents found:

 

< At least 1,220 students at 187 colleges, universities, and university systems had either lost their visas or had their legal status terminated since late March

< Some students left the country, others stopped attending classes, and a few went into hiding

 

Many international students whose status was revoked said they did not fit into any criminal category, or had only minor incidents on record.

 

Allegations of mass action without individual review

 

Sheela Murthy, president and CEO of US-based Murthy Law Firm, told Business Standard there was little individual review behind the mass cancellations.

 

“Based on our understanding, the Department of Homeland Security took a shortcut of targeting anyone who had any type of incident or had their fingerprints taken or attended a court hearing,” said Murthy. “They may have used AI to send out blanket visa revocations and SEVIS terminations without confirming if they were throwing the baby out with the bathwater.”

 

She added that most affected students either had no criminal record or had seen their cases dismissed.

 

“The revocations and terminations in those cases would be clearly incorrect and violate due process under US law,” she said.

 

Drop in Indian student visas

 

After a wave of legal challenges, the Department of Homeland Security reversed course last month and restored SEVIS records.

 

However, the concerns had already made an impact. Even before the Trump administration’s actions, there was a fall in the number of Indian students choosing the United States.

 

According to State Department figures, January saw a 50 per cent drop in visas issued to Indian students compared with the previous year.

 

“The message from the government seems ‘We don’t want your best and brightest,’” said Kuck.