Why it matters:
The move by the administration can prepare the grounds for larger demonstrations to be shaped across the U.S. and bring the country on the brink of chaos. The U.S. is scrambling to kill the protest uprising incipiently.
Students' visas at UCLA, UC San Diego, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, UC Irvine, Stanford, Arizona State, Cornell, North Carolina State, the University of Oregon, and the University of Texas were canceled.
Key points:
- U.S. officials refuse to disclose details about the revocations.
- In many cases, students' legal residency status was terminated by authorities without notice.
- Students at Tufts and the University of Alabama are in detention.
- Some of the revocations were apolitical, that is, they were not related to protests against the Israeli war on Gaza.
The big picture:
The Trump administration has initiated measures to remove foreign students from the United States, often citing unclear justifications. This has raised concerns among colleges, which fear the move could discourage international students from enrolling. Some students have reportedly been targeted due to past infractions or ambiguous reasons, prompting universities to review student statuses and demand clarity from the government.
State of play:
According to reports from faculty and student groups, visa cancellations have affected international students.
- The reasons for the cancellations remain unclear.
- There is no confirmation on whether any students were detained.
- At UCLA, at least nine international students' visas were canceled.
- At least 10 students at the University of Colorado and Colorado State University have lost their visas.
- At UC Davis, 12 international students had their visas revoked.
What he's saying:
- U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio: “It might be more than 300 at this point. We do it every day."
- "Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas."
- "I think it’s crazy to invite students into your country that are coming onto your campus and destabilizing it."
- "We’re just not going to have it. So we’ll revoke your visa."
What they're saying:
Minnesota University President Edward Inch in a letter to campus: These are troubling times, and this situation is unlike any we have navigated before."
Stanford University: "Stanford deeply values its international community of scholars and remains committed to supporting the well-being of all members of our community. We understand that these developments may be deeply unsettling for members of our community."
UC Berkeley: "Campus officials (and the University of California) are committed to doing what they can to support all members of our community as they exercise their rights under the law. In doing so, the university will continue to follow all applicable state and federal laws."
University of Colorado: “We are focused on supporting the success of all of our students, including international students. Each one of our students are seeking to advance their careers and the lives of their families, and we understand the anxieties that visa revocations cause to impacted students."
Go deeper:
"Hands Off!"; Anti-Government Protests in U.S. Spill Over to Europe
U.S. Detention of Student Activists: National Security Fears or Political Repression?
seyed mohammad kazemi
