International Student Visas Revoked

As of April 24, over 280 colleges and universities have identified 1,800-plus international students and recent graduates who have had their legal status changed by the State Department.

Explosion of Visa Terminations

More than 1,800 students have lost their F-1 or J-1 student status as part of the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigration and alleged antisemitism, according to news reports and college statements. That’s far higher than Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s initial estimate of 300 students. (Scroll down for the full list of institutions of where students are affected.)

Rubio alleged students sought entrance into the U.S. “not just to study but to participate in movements that vandalize universities, harass students, take over buildings and cause chaos.” But aside from a few high-profile examples, it’s not clear exactly why most of the students have lost their legal status.

As students and colleges grapple with the changing legal landscape, lawsuits are starting to pile up. In at least 16 legal challenges, students argue that without their student status, they can’t stay in the country or work. The terminations are “arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, and not otherwise in accordance with law and the Constitution,” argues one lawsuit filed April 15. Some courts have reinstated students' legal standings, at least temporarily.

Based on public reports and direct correspondence, Inside Higher Ed has compiled a data set of colleges and universities across the nation that have indicated visa revocations for current students or recent alumni. The database was first published April 8 and will be updated at least once a day.

Questions, comments or insights into other changes? Email ashley.mowreader@insidehighered.com.

Lawsuits Pile Up

At least 290 international students or recent graduates who had their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System records terminated by the federal government are fighting that decision across 65 lawsuits.

Students hope to get their terminations reversed and return to their work or studies. In 35 suits, plaintiffs have been successful, securing at least temporary orders from judges allowing them to stay in country.

The individuals represented in the lawsuits are associated with colleges and universities across the country and range from undergraduate students to postgraduates who are working under Optional Practical Training, which allows F-1 students to stay in the U.S. and work in a position that relates to their degree for a period of time after they graduate. At least 14 of the plaintiffs, but possibly more, were slated to graduate in the next six months until a SEVIS termination interrupted their studies.