Seven people at the University of Maryland have had their student visas revoked and U.S. legal statuses terminated as of April 23.
International students across the country and Maryland have also recently had their visas revoked unexpectedly. Four University of Maryland, Baltimore County students and 37 graduate students and recent graduates of Johns Hopkins University had their legal statuses terminated, the Baltimore Banner reported April 15.
The Diamondback looked into student visas and why some are being revoked.
What are student visas?
Student visas are legal documentation that grant international students a temporary stay in the U.S. after they have been offered admission to a school in the country.
F-1 visas are given to international students who are coming to the U.S. for academic purposes, according to USAGov, while J-1 visas are given to foreign nationals and exchange students who participate in a work or study exchange program.
This university has more than 4,990 international students, this university wrote in a statement earlier this month to The Diamondback. Eighty-four percent of these students have an F-1 visa, four percent have a J-1 visa and 12 percent have another non-immigrant visa.
[Federal government revokes visas from 7 people at UMD]
International students who are applying for an F-1 or J-1 visa must submit documents, such as a passport and financial records, to receive a Certificate of Eligibility from an educational institution, according to this university’s International Students and Scholars office. They then must pay a fee and participate in an interview.
International students are well-documented to reassure the government about the progress of international student programs and to ensure all students are legitimately admitted, Madeline Hsu, a history professor and the director of the Center for Global Migration Studies, told The Diamondback.
Why are student visas being revoked?
Officials from this university have met with federal delegations to ask why student visas are being revoked, but have not yet had their questions answered, university president Darryll Pines told The Diamondback.
Visas are commonly revoked due to a student’s appearance in criminal record checks, immigration attorney Hassan Ahmad said during the Council on American Islamic Relations’ “Know Your Rights” ICE protection webinar on April 16.
“The mere fact that you were cited or arrested or at the wrong place at the wrong time, even if the charges were dismissed, even if there is absolutely no record and you did nothing — that’s enough now for the government to move to revoke a visa,” he said.
Some reasons for visa revocation are suspected immigrant intent, suspected status violation, suspected unapproved employment, lack of qualification, fraudulent use or arrest, according to this university’s International Student and Scholars Services office.
“It’s very, very unclear, which adds to the sort of anxiety and the uncertainty of the situation, because it really feels like anybody could … have this happen to them,” Hsu said.
More than 1,000 student visas have been revoked since U.S. President Donald Trump took office in January, the Associated Press reported Tuesday. Some students have had their visas revoked after participating in pro-Palestinian protests and demonstrations, the outlet reported last week.
What happens if a student visa is revoked?
The U.S. embassy or another U.S. government agency will email students if their visa is revoked, though written confirmation is not guaranteed, according to this university’s ISSS office website.
Students who are outside of the U.S. or leave the country after their visa is cancelled will have to reapply to return,according to the office’s website.
[USM backs lawsuit to stop student visa cancellations]
Students who have their visas revoked could risk detention by immigration authorities, according to the Associated Press.
“There is a lot of uncertainty because we are in an unprecedented situation,” Hsu said.
What should students do if their visas are revoked?
Ahmad recommends that people who have had their visas revoked reapply and file for a new visa as soon as possible because it is more difficult to obtain a new one overseas. The chance of getting a new non-immigrant visa after one is revoked is a “dim prospect,” he said.
“It’s not unheard of, but in this administration, once you’re outside of the United States trying to apply for a new visa, the chances of getting a new one once you your visa has been revoked is very slim,” Ahmad said.
People who have their visas revoked should notify this university’s ISSS office and provide the revocation notice, according to its website. The office advises people who have had their student visas revoked to speak to an immigration lawyer about their status.
Immigration attorneys can help people who have had their visas revoked develop a plan, such as drafting a writ of habeas corpus, which refutes the legality of a detention or arrest, Ahmad said. He explained that he looks at a client’s immigration and criminal history to determine if a writ of habeas corpus is needed.
Some students at this university who had their visas revoked have chosen to leave the country and attempt to re-establish their visas, Pines told The Diamondback on Wednesday.
The ISSS office is monitoring student visa databases and keeping students informed to ensure their paperwork is up to date, he added.
“Our international students and scholars are an essential part of our university community, and I obviously empathize with the uncertainties that many of them are facing,” Pines told The Diamondback.
Junior staff writer Sanya Wason and news editor Natalie Weger contributed to this report.
