Over 1,000 international students in US lose their visas
What's the story
In a sweeping immigration enforcement action, the Trump administration has revoked over 1,000 student visas across the United States.
The decision impacts international students and recent graduates from over 130 institutions nationwide.
Universities across multiple states have confirmed these visa cancellations to CNN, with many expressing confusion over the reasons behind this sudden move.
Confusion reigns
Universities are baffled by visa revocations
Middle Tennessee State University said six students from Asia, Europe, and the Middle East had their visas revoked.
The university's spokesperson Jimmy Hart said, "The University does not know the specific reason(s) for the visa status changes, only that they were changed within the federal database that monitors them."
Many universities learned about these revocations through system checks and weren't given prior notice or detailed explanations from the government.
Legal repercussions
Visa revocations impact students at prestigious universities
The University of Oregon disclosed that four international students had their visa status revoked by the US Department of Homeland Security, over unspecified criminal charges.
The university was not informed in advance and has not been provided with details about the nature of these charges.
The University of California, Los Angeles, reported that 12 current or recent graduates were affected by these terminations, which were attributed to violations of their visa program terms.
Legal action
Students file lawsuits against Trump administration
In light of these visa cancellations, many students have sued the Trump administration.
The federal lawsuit seeks to stop student visa revocations and restore those already revoked.
The complaint accuses Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of abruptly and unlawfully terminating the students' legal status in US, stripping them of their ability to study and work here, and risking their arrest, detention, and deportation.
The lawsuit now covers cases of 133 foreign nationals, including students from India, China, Mexico, and Japan.