In a development stirring concern within the academic and immigrant communities, at least 22 international students at the University of Colorado have had their F-1 student visas revoked this year. The revocations come amid efforts by the Trump Administration to target individuals it claims are acting “against national interests.”
Six of the affected students, who wish to remain anonymous, have now filed lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The lawsuits argue that the visa cancellations were unjustified and carried out without proper notification or due process.
“Students are maintaining their status, according to the law,” said Zachary New, a partner at Joseph and Hall Immigration Law Specialists, who is representing the students. “I’ve spoken to folks with speeding tickets, minor DUIs, charges from when they were juveniles years and years ago, but the fact that they are in the system is all that it takes for them to be matched up and have their status terminated.”
New added that the students are now living in fear of deportation despite complying with visa regulations and academic requirements.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, Tammy Bruce, addressed the issue during a press conference in March, stating, “We’ll revoke the visas of whoever it is that fits within the category of what it is we’re deciding is going to get your visa revoked, which is illegal activity essentially.”
In response to the growing concern, the University of Colorado issued a statement expressing support for its international student community. “Each one of our students is seeking to advance their career and the lives of their family, and we understand the anxieties that visa revocations cause to impacted students,” the statement read.
As the legal battle unfolds, the broader implications of the visa revocations on international education and U.S. immigration policy remain under scrutiny.