International Students Being Told to ‘Self-deport’ As Visas Are Revoked

More than 1,000 international students studying at more than 160 colleges and universities nationwide have had their visas revoked—a move initiated by the Trump administration, possibly in response to recent political demonstrations.

The visa cancellations only affect a sliver of the estimated 1.5 million international students in the U.S. (for now), according to USA TODAY—have reportedly been triggered by minor incidents such as roommate disagreements or off-campus traffic violations. More disturbingly, others seem linked to participation in pro-Palestinian protests.

Navigating U.S. immigration policy can be tricky, but for students, only three matter:

• F-1: For students enrolled in academic programs, like college or high school.
• M-1: For vocational students.
• J-1: The “exchange visitor” visa, often used by professors, researchers and medical professionals.

Every institution wanting to host international students needs the approval of the Department of Homeland Security via a program called SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program), managed by ICE. 

Trump is currently embroiled in a high-profile standoff with Harvard; the administration threatened to revoke the university’s SEVP certification unless it handed over detailed disciplinary records on international students. The entire visa process is managed through a digital system called SEVIS. The system tracks everything from a student’s address to academic status. 

“U.S. institutions take this responsibility seriously,” says Fanta Aw, CEO of the Association of International Educators. And when a student breaks the rules, schools can terminate that SEVIS record. The government can also do it too, with or without warning.

The authority to revoke a visa lies with the State Department, which doesn’t need a courtroom or even formal charges to make it happen. Visa holders can lose their legal status over anything from paperwork errors to political beliefs.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has invoked a seldom-used clause to revoke hundreds of visas, citing what he calls “potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences.”