Trump administration abruptly cancels visas of 400 international students including Pakistanis

Hundreds of international students, including Pakistanis, at various universities across the United States have had their visas abruptly revoked, reportedly without any clear explanation. The sudden cancellations come amid the Trump administration’s intensified crackdown on immigration and support for pro-Palestinian movements on campuses.

What has alarmed students and human rights advocates alike is the nature of these revocation, carried out without prior notice or justification.

In many cases, the cancellation of visas has also coincided with the termination of students’ legal residency status, placing them at risk of immediate deportation following a 15-day grace period.

According to international media reports, when a visa is revoked, students are generally allowed to remain in the US to complete their studies, although restrictions apply to reentry if they leave the country.

Read: Jewish students protest at Columbia University over Mahmoud Khalil’s arrest

However, the current wave of revocations, which also affects legal residency, leaves students vulnerable to legal action if they do not voluntarily leave the country as soon as possible.

US media outlets report that multiple factors may be behind the visa cancellations. However, university officials and immigration rights advocates suggest that the US government is executing the process quietly, with little transparency.

The crackdown appears to be targeting students who have expressed solidarity with Palestine.

Several affected individuals had participated in campus protests supporting Palestinian rights. However, reports also indicate that some students who were not involved in any activism have also had their visas canceled.

Notable institutions affected include Harvard, Stanford, Michigan, UCLA and Ohio State University.

Check: Trump administration’s crackdown forces Columbia University to expel pro-Palestinian students

According to US media, 12 students and graduates from UCLA alone had their visas revoked, while at least one student from the University of Michigan has already left the country.

Most of these cancellations reportedly occurred during a recent audit of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), commonly referred to as the SEVIS system.

Educational institutions and human rights organisations have expressed grave concern over the developments. Universities are actively providing legal support to affected students, while student communities remain anxious about the widening crackdown.

In one of the most high-profile cases, Mahmoud Khalil, a US green card holder who led a pro-Palestinian protest on his campus, was arrested. A Turkish student also faced arrest simply for publishing a pro-Palestinian article in a campus magazine.