International Student Visas Revoked - War on Higher Education?

[DaisyDay]

What is behind this sudden move against international students?

• Five from Amherst 4/5/2025
• Five from Ohio State 4/4/2025
• Six from UC San Diego 4/42025
• Twelve from UC Davis 4/42025
• Six from UC Standford + Four from UC Berkley 4/5/2025
• Eight from Arizona State 4/3/2025
• One from Georgetown University 3/17/2025
• Two from University of Texas Austin 4/4/2025
• Two from University of Akron, Ohio 4/42025
• Four from Kent State University Ohio 4/4/2025
• Two from University of Kentucky 4/4/2025
• Four from University of Nevada, Las Vegas 4/4/2025

The common themes in these revocations are the abruptness, lack of warning and lack of reasons given. It seems to be "We did it because we can" sort of thing. The other commonality is the ... diversity of the students' home countries. The universities were not notified by the government of the visa removals, which is weird.

This can be devastating for the students involved as foreign scholarship isn't cheap and there will be no refunds for expenses laid out for living and travel. This can also set back their education by years if not permanently.

This is crippling to the universities which I suspect to be the goal as other funding has also been cut off.

SCOOP: ICE Revoking Students’ Immigration Statuses Without Their or the University’s Knowledge

“Never seen something like this,” say university officials about the secret targeting of Middle Eastern students.

zeteo.com

“Never seen something like this,” say university officials about the secret targeting of Middle Eastern students.

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appears to be manually revoking students’ immigration status – an authority typically left to university staff. And some students and universities are not even being made aware of those revocations – setting students up to be taken by immigration agents without even knowing it was coming.

Three university officials, who were given anonymity so they could speak freely, across the country report that, in recent days, student residency statuses in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System – SEVIS, a database where residency statuses of foreign students are managed – are being changed without their knowledge.​

 

[Fantine]

Loss of research grants and the end of federal student loans and Pell grants hurt universities.
After all, what's the fun of being a billionaire with no taxes without a huge underclass to exploit?

 

[Valletta]

What is behind this sudden move against international students?

• Five from Amherst 4/5/2025
• Five from Ohio State 4/4/2025
• Six from UC San Diego 4/42025
• Twelve from UC Davis 4/42025
• Six from UC Standford + Four from UC Berkley 4/5/2025
• Eight from Arizona State 4/3/2025
• One from Georgetown University 3/17/2025
• Two from University of Texas Austin 4/4/2025
• Two from University of Akron, Ohio 4/42025
• Four from Kent State University Ohio 4/4/2025
• Two from University of Kentucky 4/4/2025
• Four from University of Nevada, Las Vegas 4/4/2025

The common themes in these revocations are the abruptness, lack of warning and lack of reasons given. It seems to be "We did it because we can" sort of thing. The other commonality is the ... diversity of the students' home countries. The universities were not notified by the government of the visa removals, which is weird.

This can be devastating for the students involved as foreign scholarship isn't cheap and there will be no refunds for expenses laid out for living and travel. This can also set back their education by years if not permanently.

This is crippling to the universities which I suspect to be the goal as other funding has also been cut off.

SCOOP: ICE Revoking Students’ Immigration Statuses Without Their or the University’s Knowledge

“Never seen something like this,” say university officials about the secret targeting of Middle Eastern students.

zeteo.com

“Never seen something like this,” say university officials about the secret targeting of Middle Eastern students.​

​

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appears to be manually revoking students’ immigration status – an authority typically left to university staff. And some students and universities are not even being made aware of those revocations – setting students up to be taken by immigration agents without even knowing it was coming.​

​

Three university officials, who were given anonymity so they could speak freely, across the country report that, in recent days, student residency statuses in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System – SEVIS, a database where residency statuses of foreign students are managed – are being changed without their knowledge.​

There are over a million international students in the U.S. I don't think a few hundred leaving will "cripple" the universities.

 

[chevyontheriver]

There are over a million international students in the U.S. I don't think a few hundred leaving will "cripple" the universities.

It was 57 international students who had their student visas revoked. I suppose someone can make the claim that it's the end of higher education but that would be a pretty lame thing to actually claim.

Also, not a word about why those visas might have been revoked. Both the administration and the complainers should bring out just why a visa gets revoked.

 

[Pommer]

There are over a million international students in the U.S. I don't think a few hundred leaving will "cripple" the universities.

If I’m the father of a Harvard-accepted student in Oman and the possibility that my child will be suddenly deported after two or three years (after paying full-freight), then Oxford would be just as good.

Such policies tell foreign students’ parents “stay away”.
I think that these foreigners are smart enough to listen.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Even though the genius, richest man alive, and real power behind the government Elon Musk has said we should hire smart foreigners like him instead of Americans, the foreigners need to meet basic standards.

 

[Always in His Presence]

Not war on higher education education

War on terrorism.

 

[Trogdor the Burninator]

If I’m the father of a Harvard-accepted student in Oman and the possibility that my child will be suddenly deported after two or three years (after paying full-freight), then Oxford would be just as good.

Such policies tell foreign students’ parents “stay away”.
I think that these foreigners are smart enough to listen.

Same with tourism. Start locking up a few tourists for minor paperwork issues, and pretty soon people start avoiding your country.

Trump doesn't care, and many of the masses who voted for him hate college education and college students anyway.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Trump doesn't care, and many of the masses who voted for him hate college education and college students anyway.

So true, most of the university educated people I know don't fall for the Hillary and wolf boy lovechild headlines or believe that long dead politicians are going to appear in Texas and endorse someone from another political party for President.

 

[Richard T]

There are over a million international students in the U.S. I don't think a few hundred leaving will "cripple" the universities.

Yes, just drama and no real affect on anyone but the few dozen students. It does say however that foreign students do not have free speech. It always is best to keep a low profile if in a foreign nation.

 

[DaisyDay]

There are over a million international students in the U.S. I don't think a few hundred leaving will "cripple" the universities.

True, but when word gets out that visas were revoked suddenly, for no given reason that will have a chilling effect on future students applying. There are already advisories of "Do not travel to" the USA because of what we are doing to people extra-judicially.

 

[DaisyDay]

Yes, just drama and no real affect on anyone but the few dozen students. It does say however that foreign students do not have free speech. It always is best to keep a low profile if in a foreign nation.

A few dozen? More than twice a dozen dozen. These revocations seem to have nothing to do with free speech or any other sort of speech. These are not activists.

Trump takes aim at foreign-born college students, with 300 visas revoked

Some students have been picked up off the street by immigration agents and held in detention centers, sometimes a thousand miles away from their homes, with little warning

www.nbcnews.com

 

[BCP1928]

Not war on higher education education

War on terrorism.

Right. You can't trust these foreign students. Some of them might be publically critical of US policy towards Israel and that would be supporting terrorists.

 

[DaisyDay]

Not war on higher education education

War on terrorism.

What evidence is there that any one of these engaged in any sort of terrorism? DARVO - it's us sowing hurt.

 

[Maria Billingsley]

What is behind this sudden move against international students?

• Five from Amherst 4/5/2025
• Five from Ohio State 4/4/2025
• Six from UC San Diego 4/42025
• Twelve from UC Davis 4/42025
• Six from UC Standford + Four from UC Berkley 4/5/2025
• Eight from Arizona State 4/3/2025
• One from Georgetown University 3/17/2025
• Two from University of Texas Austin 4/4/2025
• Two from University of Akron, Ohio 4/42025
• Four from Kent State University Ohio 4/4/2025
• Two from University of Kentucky 4/4/2025
• Four from University of Nevada, Las Vegas 4/4/2025

The common themes in these revocations are the abruptness, lack of warning and lack of reasons given. It seems to be "We did it because we can" sort of thing. The other commonality is the ... diversity of the students' home countries. The universities were not notified by the government of the visa removals, which is weird.

This can be devastating for the students involved as foreign scholarship isn't cheap and there will be no refunds for expenses laid out for living and travel. This can also set back their education by years if not permanently.

This is crippling to the universities which I suspect to be the goal as other funding has also been cut off.

SCOOP: ICE Revoking Students’ Immigration Statuses Without Their or the University’s Knowledge

“Never seen something like this,” say university officials about the secret targeting of Middle Eastern students.

zeteo.com

“Never seen something like this,” say university officials about the secret targeting of Middle Eastern students.​

​

The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) appears to be manually revoking students’ immigration status – an authority typically left to university staff. And some students and universities are not even being made aware of those revocations – setting students up to be taken by immigration agents without even knowing it was coming.​

​

Three university officials, who were given anonymity so they could speak freely, across the country report that, in recent days, student residency statuses in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System – SEVIS, a database where residency statuses of foreign students are managed – are being changed without their knowledge.​

Sympathy for Palestinians.

 

[Valletta]

Right. You can't trust these foreign students. Some of them might be publically critical of US policy towards Israel and that would be supporting terrorists.

There was all kinds of criticism during Trump's first term. What has changed is that DEI, CRT, and other hateful and racist policies being pushed at the universities were being funded by taxpayer dollars. Trump appropriately cut off funds from universities who continued to push such polices. Ignatiev perhaps best illustrated the attitude of the radical left who control so many of our universities:​

"Make no mistake about it: we intend to keep bashing the dead white males, and the live ones, and the females too, until the social construct known as 'the white race' is destroyed—not 'deconstructed' but destroyed.” ​

― Noel Ignatiev published in Harvard Magazine

What also had changed since Trump's first term is the horrific slaughter by Hamas, and a tiny number of foreign students supporting and promoting Hamas. Jews have become the most prominent targets, being harassed and bullied and threatened. Why should American Jews be prevented from attending classes because of a small number of hateful foreign students? ​

 

[Fantine]

My son is an expat business owner. He said the low and now lower dollar is great for tourists leaving the US to go abroad. He sees downsides to Trump's policies--how could anyone not?--but feels like tourism could keep his business healthy.
COVID brought competitors down while his business survived so when things recovered they had less competitors.
I don't know how he does it. I would have anxiety attacks.
Conversely the low dollar makes it much more expensive for students or tourists to visit the US.
Yet another industry endangered by tariffs.

 

[DaisyDay]

Sympathy for Palestinians.

These are not student activists, just international students.

 

[BCP1928]

These are not student activists, just international students.

But sympathy for Palestinians is a crime now.

 

[rjs330]

These are not student activists, just international students.

How do you know?

You have no idea why these visas were canceled. Neither do I. But there was a reason. All college foreigners were not put in a hat and randomly selected.

Now we could argue that the State Dept. should tell the Amercan people why each and every student was ejected. But why should they? The left would attack them for just about any reason for it, so why bother. They don't have to provide anyone a reason. And until you can prove that there was NO reason for it, I will believe there was a reason. Its either that or the lottery, pick a student from a hat theory.

The UC Davis article said this:

"A spokesperson said the department generally won't comment on specific cases due to privacy considerations and visa confidentiality.

The spokesperson also cited "zero tolerance" for non-citizens who violate U.S. laws and said that all visa applicants are "continuously vetted."