Trump’s visa crackdown hits Ivy League; students from Harvard UCLA lose status
President Donald Trump’s visa crackdown is now hitting major schools across the US, with three Harvard University students and two recent graduates having had their student visas revoked. This comes amid Trump’s efforts to deport international students involved in pro-Palestine protests.
Trump’s visa crackdown hits Ivy League; students from top universities lose status(AP)
The Harvard Crimson reported that the school discovered the revoked visas during a “routine records review,” according to an email from the Harvard International Office to international students. The students have not been named.
“We are not aware of the details of the revocations or the reasons for them, but we understand that comparable numbers of students and scholars in institutions across the country have experienced similar status changes in roughly the same timeframe,” the HIO wrote.
The HIO added in the email that “Harvard deeply values the international students and scholars who travel here to learn and grow.” “The talent they bring to campus each day increases our ability to advance world-class discovery in fields that have meaningful impact on people’s lives, while creating positive relationships and discourse that expand the horizons of people across our community,” they wrote.
Donald Trump’s visa crackdown hits UCLA too
Meanwhile, as many as six University of California, Los Angeles students’ visas have also been revoked by the US government. UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk announced in a message to the campus community that six current students and six former students had their visas terminated, adding that the figures are “fluid and may change.”
“During a routine audit of SEVIS records, UCLA officials learned that the
Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) had terminated the SEVIS status of six current students. SEVP also terminated the status of six former students currently participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program,” the note read.
It continued, “The termination notices indicate that all terminations were due to violations of the terms of the individuals’ visa programs. At this time, UCLA is not aware of any federal law enforcement activity on campus related to these terminations.”
“We recognize that these actions can bring feelings of tremendous uncertainty and anxiety to our community. We want our immigrant and international UCLA students, staff and faculty to know we support your ability to work, learn, teach and thrive here,” the note added.
Nationwide, at least 300 student visas have been revoked. Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed the number at a news conference in Guyana, claiming the administration does it “every day,” according to NBC Los Angeles.
