Five international students enrolled at the University of Massachusetts Amherst had their visas revoked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The university learned of this development through checks in the SEVIS database and was not notified by the federal government. Other universities across the U.S., such as Minnesota State University, Arizona State, Cornell, and more, have also reported similar incidents of international student visas being revoked without notice.
The students targeted for visa revocations are believed to be involved in protests and potentially criminal activities, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Recent cases include the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia student involved in anti-Israel protests, and the arrest of an Iranian student at the University of Alabama for national security concerns. Another incident involved the arrest of Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish Ph.D. student at Tufts University, for writing an anti-Israel op-ed.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that these students pose national security concerns. The revocations of visas without notice have raised concerns among students and universities across the country. The university officials are monitoring the situation closely and are advocating for the affected students. This recent wave of visa revocations has sparked controversy and discussions on the treatment of international students in the U.S.
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