300 US Student Visas Revoked? Latest Crackdown Sparks Concerns for Indians
7 Apr, 2025 19:01 IST|Sakshi Post
In a sensational crackdown on foreign students in the United States, immigration authorities have revoked more than 300 student visas, many without prior notice to the students or their universities. The SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) terminations have sparked concerns across university campuses and raised questions about legal resources for those affected.
Owing to this, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been accused of abruptly terminating SEVIS records, which are often based on minor allegations or past infractions. It is being reported that in many cases, terminations have occurred even after the students were acquitted of all the charges.
University officials in Minnesota confirmed the termination of SEVIS records for students without warning. “This is unlike any we have navigated before,” one official said.
According to Rajiv Khanna, an immigration attorney based in the US, the terminations are being used to render students deportable despite being enrolled full-time and complying with visa rules. “ICE is terminating SEVIS registrations as a basis to claim that students are deportable, even when they are attending school on a full-time basis in full compliance with their visas,” he said.
Among the justifications cited for the actions is a Cold War-era provision that allows deportation if a noncitizen’s activity poses “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.” However, affected students and universities have received no clear explanation linking terminations to national security.
