Around 50 per cent of international students in the USA who have recently had their visas revoked or Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records terminated were from India, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), which collected 327 reports on these instances from students, attorneys, and university employees.
According to an Associated Press (AP) review of university statements, correspondence with school officials and court records, at least 1,024 students at 160 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) said it has, with the help of attorneys, students and university employees across the US, collected 327 reports of visa revocations and Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) terminations.
AP’s report did not furnish a country-wise break-up of the 1,024 students. However, according to the data collected by AILA, 50 per cent of the 327 students were from India. Of the rest, 14 per cent were from China, and other significant countries represented in this data include South Korea, Nepal and Bangladesh.
“The Department of State (DoS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are aggressively targeting international students, including those without a history of protest, for visa revocation, termination of their status, and removal,” AILA said in a statement.
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“Based on these reports, it is clear that transparency, oversight, and accountability are needed to prevent further arbitrary visa revocations and SEVIS record terminations. Finally, there should be a way for students to appeal SEVIS terminations that are inaccurate, without facing a gap in their employment or requiring the university to be involved, given the sheer numbers of those impacted,” it said.
In a related development, US Department of State spokesperson Margaret MacLeod told news agency PTI in a virtual interview that the Donald Trump administration was rigorously enforcing immigration laws, including the Immigration and Nationality Act and the Alien Registration Act. “If you follow the law, America offers opportunities. But those who violate the law will face the consequences,” MacLeod said to a question related to the issues faced by Indian students in various US universities.
During his weekly press briefing on Thursday, Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, said: “We are aware that several Indian students have received communication from the US government regarding their F-1 visa status, which happens to be the student visa. We are looking into the matter. Our embassy and consulates are in touch with the students to provide support.”
MacLeod urged individuals residing in the US illegally, including relatives of Indian families, to voluntarily return to their home countries. “There is still an opportunity to return to your homeland,” she said, directing them to contact the Department of Homeland Security or use the CBP app to facilitate their departures. She expressed hope that those who entered the country unlawfully would leave voluntarily to avoid stricter enforcement measures. More than 330,000 Indian students were enrolled in US higher education institutions in the 2023-24 academic year, a 23 per cent increase from the previous year. The figure made India the country with the highest number of students in the US. However, according to reports, the number of visas issued to Indian students fell 30 per cent in February — the first month of the second Trump administration.
Speaking about US Vice-President JD Vance’s visit to India, the American official said he would meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi ahead of his private trip to Jaipur and Agra. “They will discuss all the issues important for the two countries,” MacLeod said.
According to the AP report from Washington, several of the 1,024 students, who have had their visas or legal status revoked in recent weeks, have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, arguing the government denied them due process when it suddenly took away their permission to be in the US.
(With inputs from AP and PTI reports)
