US revoking F-1 visas. Should Indian students be worried?
What's the story
Hundreds of overseas students, including Indians, have been asked to leave the US.
The US Department of State canceled their F-1 student visas for alleged involvement in campus activism and online activity considered "anti-national."
The crackdown is being led by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who is targeting not just those participating in protests physically, but also the ones interacting with social media posts critical of US policies.
AI involvement
AI app used to identify visa violations
The State Department has stepped up its efforts with an AI-powered app called "Catch and Revoke."
The tool detects and cancels visas of students discovered supporting Hamas and other designated terrorist outfits.
Besides revoking the existing visas, consular officials are now reviewing new applications for F (academic), M (vocational) and J (exchange) visas, denying any entry to applicants associated with similar activities.
Visa revocation
Email notifications and self-deportation instructions
Students have reportedly received emails from the Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Office, notifying them of visa revocations under Section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
They instruct students to self-deport through the CBP Home App, warning that staying in the US without legal status could result in fines, detention or deportation.
The notice also warns deportation might happen abruptly and bar them from future US visas.
Rubio's statement
Rubio emphasizes strict visa adherence
Rubio has stressed that a US visa is "not a birthright."
"Any person violating the terms of visitation will have to leave the country," he added.
The Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is responsible for the Student Exchange Visitor Program, has been notified to handle removal proceedings and can inform affected students' schools.