- Students moving organized targets for students participating in Palestinian protests.
- The affected universities include prominent private institutions.
- Some students lost their visas due to past traffic violations.
According to the United States immigration officials have canceled a visa for approximately 1, 1500 international students Unmarked And other media reports, renovated by the American Higher Education Journal, Higher Education (IHE).
The move is reportedly targeting students who participated in Palestinian protests at the university campus all over the United States.
Reports say that the cancellation of the visa is beyond direct participation in protests to include indirect persons with Palestinian purpose.
The Gulf media has said that the US government has alleged that these students have incited Judaism, but these claims were strongly rejected by students, lawyers and social workers.
In particular, many Jewish workers and groups have been at the forefront of these demonstrations.
While US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the cancellation of 300 students visa in late March, the actual number of affected students is significantly higher.
The Immigration Lawyer’s Association reported that 4,700 students were removed from the immigration database, known as the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
As of April 17, the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors (NAFSA) said that there are now reports of 1,400 students who now face exile, while the IHE has confirmed that 1,489 students have lost their visas.
Which American universities were affected?
The cancellations of these visas have affected students from 240 universities and colleges in the United States, including prominent private institutions such as Harvard, Stanford, Ohio State University, and Maryland University as well as various liberal arts colleges.
Why is a visa being canceled?
US President Donald Trump’s administration’s move comes when he claims he is trying to prevent workers from taking campuses.
Rubio said on March 28, “We will not import workers in the United States. They are here to get an education. They are here to go to class. They are not here to guide the workers’ movements who are interrupting and harming our universities.”
The cancellation of a large -scale visa has given rise to a widespread concern and anxiety within the international student community because he said he had legal status in the United States, which has been abolished without any notice.
Mohammed Ali Syed, who guided the immigration practice group in Washington DC, noted that Palestinian supporters were not the only reasons behind the cancellation of visa cancellation.
Syed noted that some students have lost their visas due to past traffic violations or in some cases, there is no clear explanation.
“This widespread action has led to legal challenges and raised concerns about the appropriate process and the impact on US higher education institutions,” said Syed.
He called on the affected students to immediately consult immigration lawyers to seek legal powers to protect their rights.
“Students can file a lawsuit in the federal courts, which emphasizes violations of the proper action and can try to restore their legal status,” he said.
He added that under immediate conditions, students can also file for orders (TRO) to temporarily stop deportation and maintain their status, while legal battles come out.
Which students have been affected?
Name | Age | Nationality | Legal status in the US | University | The date of arrest | Charges |
Yunsu Chung | 21 | South Korean | Constant resident | Undergraduate College affiliated to Bernard, Columbia | March 5 | Don’t know if they have been charged with a crime |
Mahmud Khalil | 30 | Algeria Palestinian | Green card holder | Columbia University Graduate | March 8 | Don’t know if they have been charged with a crime |
Leaka Cordia | 21 | Palestinian | More than a student visa | Unidentified | March 13 | The DHS said that Kordia promoted its student visa, which was abolished in 2022 due to “lack of attendance”. |
Badr Khan Suri | 42 | Indian | Student Visa | George Town University | March 17 | Don’t know if they have been charged with a crime |
Alriza Dorodi | 32 | Iranian | Student Visa | Alabama University | March 25 | Don’t know if they have been charged with a crime |
Remica Oztrak | 30 | Turk | Student Visa | Tufts university | March 26 | Don’t know if they have been charged with a crime |
Mohsin Mahdi | 30 | Palestinian | Green card holder | Columbia University | April 14 | Don’t know if they have been charged with a crime |