Several IU students have had their student visas canceled, IU Provost Rahul Shrivastav said Tuesday at the Bloomington Faculty Council meeting.
The discussion came after an attendee at the meeting referenced the actions of other universities in regard to revoking student visas.
“I can confirm that is happening here,” Shrivastav said at the meeting. “It is ongoing. It is no different than what’s happening in other institutions.”
Shrivastav said the number of IU students this has affected is “small relative to some other institutions.” The university is responding on a case-by-case basis and working to help students to the extent the institution can while complying with federal legislation, he said.
“No institution actually controls visa issues,” Shrivastav said. “Those are federal regulations and federal jurisdiction. With what is within our ability, we are trying to help as best we can.”
Shrivastav said the students that have been involved in student visa cancellations have gotten “exceptional” support from their academic units and faculty.
The revocations at IU come as dozens of colleges across the country say their students have had their visas canceled. The New York Times reported this week nearly 300 international students have had their visas revoked at both public and private institutions.
In March, federal immigration authorities arrested Columbia University graduate student Mahmoud Khalil, a leader at the university’s pro-Palestinian protests and encampments. Khalil’s detention was the first publicly known student arrest as part of the Trump administration's executive order to combat antisemitism on college campuses.
In a fact sheet about the order, the administration wrote it would revoke visas for and deport students who participated in “pro-jihadist protests” — though not all the students who have had their visas revoked have participated in protests and encampments.
In other cases, students and lawyers said immigration officials gave no reason behind the visa revocations.
Student visas can be revoked if students violate the rules that govern them, such as by not keeping a full class load or getting an off-campus job without permission. They can also be revoked if students commit a crime.
Students who get their visas revoked can have them reinstated if they meet special requirements, but it’s historically rare for students to have their visas terminated from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, an online state department database that keeps records on international students. Many of the revocations have also included terminated records, though it’s unclear if this is the case at IU.
The state department did not provide the exact number of IU students who have had their visas canceled.
“We don’t discuss individual pieces due to the privacy of those involved,” state department Spokesperson Tammy Bruce said at a briefing Tuesday. “We don’t go into statistics or numbers.”
IU did not immediately respond to questions on its response, nor how many students the cancelations have impacted.
Students concerned about the status of their visa can check it through the Department of State’s Visa Status Check portal. Students who have had their visas revoked or terminated should consult an immigration lawyer. Information on students’ rights when dealing with Immigration and Customs Enforcement is available here.
If your student visa or someone you know’s has been canceled, please reach out to the Indiana Daily Student at newstips@idsnews.com or more securely at @idsnews.25 on Signal.
