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In a marked shift from past practice, the Trump administration is revoking foreign student visas without prior notice or explanation, forcing students to leave the country immediately. Universities across the United States have reported a rise in abrupt SEVIS terminations—the federal system that tracks international student status—leaving many students in legal limbo and institutions grappling with the consequences.
College administrators say these actions are being taken without any formal communication from federal authorities. Many institutions are only finding out after students receive alarming emails stating their SEVIS records have been revoked. These developments have raised concerns about the long-term impact on the US as a destination for international education.
“Students get an email from their universities saying that your SEVIS has been revoked. We just found out. So even the universities are surprised and no one seems to know the reasons,” said Rajiv Khanna, managing attorney at Immigration.com.
According to reports, five international students at Minnesota State University, Mankato had their visas revoked under unclear circumstances. The university discovered the issue while checking records after a Turkish student from the University of Minnesota was detained. The US State Department linked that specific case to a drunk driving conviction.
The scope of the federal enforcement appears to be widening. Students at several major institutions—including Arizona State, Cornell, North Carolina State, the University of Oregon, the University of Texas, and the University of Colorado—have had their legal status revoked. In some instances, students were detained before their universities received any official notification.
Khanna noted that the grounds for revocations have varied. “The students I have spoken with have given me different answers. Some of them had minor brushes with the law, like minor traffic violations… which are not deportable offenses. We also found some instances where there was no finding of guilt.”
At the University of Texas at Austin, two international graduates—one from India and one from Lebanon—had their student status terminated following criminal records checks, despite being fully employed under Optional Practical Training (OPT) at the time.
In some cases, visa cancellations are being carried out under a provision that permits revocations if an individual’s presence is deemed to have "serious adverse foreign policy consequences." The Trump administration has invoked this clause in response to campus protests. However, Khanna said this justification often does not apply. “The problem is not that SEVIS are being cancelled. But it’s now being cancelled without any reason or process. And there is no room for response against the allegations.”
Javier Reyes, Chancellor of UMass Amherst, expressed his concern in a campus letter, stating, “The abrupt cancellation of SEVIS records without warning or due process is alarming and contrary to our shared values. International students deserve transparency, fairness, and the opportunity to respond.”
He further added, “These actions create fear and uncertainty in our international community and damage our reputation as a welcoming place for global scholars.”
Previously, students whose visas were revoked could continue their studies as long as they remained within the US. That practice appears to have ended. “They are just cancelling SEVIS without notice or process,” Khanna said. “And the students have two options – leave right away or be placed in deportation. Or they need to find a litigator to get a restraining order against deportation.”
With limited information from federal agencies, universities are now reviewing policies and legal pathways to protect affected students. Meanwhile, international students are left facing legal challenges or preparing for forced departures.
