Trump administration’s visa crackdown alarms universities nationwide

College officials across the United States are raising concerns about a new wave of visa revocations targeting international students. The Trump administration has begun terminating students’ legal status with little warning or clear justification, forcing many to leave the country immediately.

At Minnesota State University in Mankato, officials discovered five international students had their visas revoked after running a status check prompted by the detention of a Turkish student at the University of Minnesota. Similar cases have emerged at Arizona State, Cornell, North Carolina State, University of Oregon, University of Texas, University of Colorado, Tufts and University of Alabama.

President Trump campaigned on deporting foreign students involved in pro-Palestinian protests. The crackdown began with the detention of Columbia graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist with a green card. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated students are being targeted for protest involvement and “potential criminal activity.”

Some students appear to have been targeted under an obscure law barring noncitizens whose presence could have “serious adverse foreign policy consequences” — a provision Trump invoked in a January order addressing campus antisemitism.

However, many affected students have no connection to political activism. Some face deportation over minor infractions like traffic violations or misdemeanors that had already been reported to authorities. In several cases, universities report being unable to find any protest involvement or controversial social media posts from affected students.

University leaders say the government’s approach marks a significant departure from past practice. Previously, students with revoked entry visas could typically maintain legal residency status and complete their studies. Now, officials report the federal government is quietly deleting students’ records and terminating their legal status without notifying universities.

“None of this is regular practice,” said Miriam Feldblum, president of the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration.

College administrators worry this unprecedented enforcement approach will damage America’s standing as a premier destination for international students. The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities is requesting a meeting with the State Department to address these concerns.

“We should not take for granted that that’s just the way things are and will always be,” warned Fanta Aw, CEO of NAFSA, an association of international educators.

Read more: Federal officials are quietly terminating the legal residency of some international college students