Federal Officials Terminate Legal Residency of International Students

The Trump administration has launched a crackdown on foreign students, using new tactics and vague justifications to push some students out of the country. College officials are alarmed by the new approach, which they fear will deter foreigners from studying in the U.S.

Background

College officials worry that the new approach will keep foreigners from wanting to study in the U.S. Students stripped of their entry visas are receiving orders from the Department of Homeland Security to leave the country immediately — a break from past practice that often permitted them to stay and complete their studies. Some students have been targeted over pro-Palestinian activism or criminal infractions — or even traffic violations. Others have been left wondering how they ran afoul of the government.

Incidents of Terminated Visas

At Minnesota State University in Mankato, President Edward Inch told the campus that visas had been revoked for five international students for unclear reasons. He said school officials learned about the revocations when they ran a status check in a database of international students after the detention of a Turkish student at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. The State Department said the detention was related to a drunken driving conviction.

Government’s New Tactics

In this new wave of enforcement, school officials say the federal government is quietly deleting foreigners’ student records instead of going through colleges, as was done in the past. Students are being ordered to leave the country with a suddenness that universities have rarely seen, said Miriam Feldblum, president and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.

Feds Bypass Colleges to Move Against Students

In the past, when international students have had entry visas revoked, they generally have been allowed to keep legal residency status. They could stay in the country to study, but would need to renew their visa if they left the U.S. and wanted to return. Now, increasing numbers of students are having their legal status terminated, exposing them to the risk of being arrested.

Database Checks Turn Up Students in Jeopardy

At the University of Texas at Austin, staff checking a federal database discovered two people on student visas had their permission to be in the U.S. terminated, a person familiar with the situation said. The person declined to be identified for fear of retaliation. One of the people, from India, had their legal status terminated April 3. The federal system indicated the person had been identified in a criminal records check “and/or has had their visa revoked.”

Impact on International Students

Some students have had visas revoked by the State Department under an obscure law barring noncitizens whose presence could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” Trump invoked the law in a January order demanding action against campus antisemitism. But some students targeted in recent weeks have had no clear link to political activism. Some have been ordered to leave over misdemeanor crimes or traffic infractions, Feldblum said.

Concerns from Universities

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is requesting a meeting with the State Department over the issue. It’s unclear whether more visas are being revoked than usual, but officials fear a chilling effect on international exchange. Many of the association’s members have recently seen at least one student have their visas revoked, said Bernie Burrola, a vice president at the group.

Conclusion

The Trump administration’s crackdown on foreign students is causing concern among college officials, who fear it will deter foreigners from studying in the U.S. The new approach is using vague justifications to push some students out of the country, and universities are struggling to understand the reasoning behind the terminations. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how it will impact international students and the higher education system as a whole.

FAQs

• Q: Why are international students having their visas revoked?
  A: The reasons for the revocations are not always clear, but some students have been targeted over pro-Palestinian activism, criminal infractions, or traffic violations.
• Q: What is the impact on international students?
  A: The terminations are exposing students to the risk of being arrested and are causing concern among college officials, who fear it will deter foreigners from studying in the U.S.
• Q: How are universities responding to the situation?
  A: Universities are requesting meetings with the State Department and are working to understand the reasoning behind the terminations.
• Q: What is the potential long-term effect on international exchange?
  A: The crackdown could have a chilling effect on international exchange, as students may be deterred from studying in the U.S. due to the uncertainty and risk of having their visas revoked.

  Originally Published: April 4, 2025 at 11:31 AM EDT