Beware Students: Visas Terminated Without Notice

Every year, lakhs of Indian students fly to the United States for higher education and better employment opportunities. This trend is particularly prevalent in the Telugu states, which lead the charts when it comes to the number of students heading to the U.S. for higher studies.

However, with the onset of the Donald J. Trump administration in the United States, the situation has started to deteriorate for the student community. First, it was the crackdown on part-time work, which restricted financial resources for international students. Now, it’s the visa termination process.

Reportedly, two universities in Utah have reported multiple cases of international students getting their visas revoked by the Trump administration. In some cases, the visas are being revoked even without prior notice to the student or the university.

Over the course of any school year, international students may have their visas revoked or SEVIS records terminated as a result of an arrest or being charged with criminal activity. These activities can include domestic violence allegations or driving under the influence. What’s different currently is that records are being terminated in SEVIS, sometimes without any notice to the university or the student.

Reportedly, the University of Utah alone has recorded 17 international students whose visas were revoked. There are more such cases across the state. The alarming part is that this trend could quickly spread across the country.

Students who face charges of domestic violence, driving under the influence, or other non-felony offenses are now under scrutiny and may be in the firing line if the Trump administration decides to crack down further.

Shockingly, these students were given just 15 days to leave the country, and failure to do so could lead to forced deportation along with criminal charges.