In a sweeping action that has stunned campuses across the United States, over 1,400 international students have had their visas revoked.
The move, confirmed by educational sources, has affected at least 1,489 students from more than 240 institutions since March 2025.
Major universities such as Harvard, Stanford, Ohio State, and the University of Maryland are among those impacted.
This crackdown comes under the leadership of President Donald Trump, who returned to office in January 2025.
It aligns with his administration’s strong stance against what it calls “imported activism.”
According to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the visa cancellations are aimed at students promoting “anti-Semitic and pro-Hamas sentiment” through campus protests.
“They’re here to study. They’re not here to lead activist movements,” Rubio stated during a press conference on March 28.
However, many lawyers, faculty members, and students have argued that the targeted individuals were peacefully expressing support for Palestine.
Reports suggest that some protests involved non-violent demonstrations and included Jewish and progressive student groups.
Hafsa Kanjwal, a professor at Lafayette College, emphasized the human cost of these actions.
“Some students and faculty don’t have a place to ‘go back’ to, given the political turmoil in their respective places of origin,” she told Al Jazeera.
She added that many universities have failed to provide support.
“Most campuses have not really provided reassurances to international students and faculty to address their concerns,” she said.
A faculty member who chose to stay anonymous shared the growing fear among immigrant students.
“They’re terrified that some small mistake anything they posted or said might get them abducted and deported,” they explained.
The professor went on to accuse the administration of using the incident to intimidate universities.
“What the Trump administration wants to do is communicate to immigrants and international students that their rights here are in fact privileges,” the professor added.
Meanwhile, several universities are working with legal teams to understand the reasons behind the student visa cancellations in the U.S.
Institutions like George Mason University have started providing legal help and academic support to affected students.
This includes accommodations for coursework, as well as direct communication with federal agencies for more clarity.
Furthermore, many schools have promised to continue pushing back if future revocations are unjustified.
While the Trump administration insists that the action is about protecting order and national safety, many critics see it differently.
