'I'm scared to come to school': Trump's visa crackdown terrorizes international student community

'I'm scared to come to school': Trump's visa crackdown terrorizes international student community


International students across the U.S. are gripped by fear as President Donald Trump's sweeping visa crackdown triggers detentions, deportations and panic on college campuses.

The U.S. government has ramped up visa revocations under a national security directive aimed at students accused of engaging in activities deemed contrary to American interests.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the initiative targets those undermining U.S. national security, but critics argue the campaign lacks transparency and is sweeping in scope.

Over 1,500 international students have reportedly had their visas revoked or their legal status canceled since last month, according to data cited by Inside Higher Ed. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has made dozens of arrests, many on university grounds, sometimes recorded on video, showing plainclothes officers detaining students without prior notice.

Universities often remain unaware of the changes in their students' legal status until reviewing federal immigration databases. The unpredictability and lack of due process have left students, faculty and civil rights advocates alarmed.

Dubious arrests

While some visa revocations involve students with criminal records or minor infractions, others appear linked to political expression. Several international students say they were targeted for participating in pro-Palestinian protests, raising concerns about violations of First Amendment rights.

At Georgetown University, researcher Badar Khan Suri was arrested in March and accused of spreading anti-Semitic content online and having links to a "terror suspect": a label linked to his father-in-law, a former advisor to a Hamas leader. Suri's lawyer told the BBC the two had only met a few times.

In New York, Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil was arrested by ICE after taking part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration. Although he holds permanent residency, ICE not only revoked his student visa but is now pursuing the revocation of his green card. He is currently detained in a Louisiana immigration facility awaiting deportation proceedings.

Another student, Rumeysa Ozturk of Tufts University, is also being held in Louisiana. The 30-year-old Turkish national co-authored a published commentary on Gaza.

Growing fear on campuses

At the University of Texas, rumors of ICE inspections have spread panic. One graduate student, who holds a green card and has no protest involvement, told the BBC: "I'm scared to be out. I’m scared to come to school. I'm scared to go grocery shopping." His fear stems from having once written articles critical of the U.S. president.

Tufts University researcher Anteri Mejr said the climate of fear is so strong that many international students who left for academic conferences or family visits are now afraid to return. "There are students working remotely because they're afraid they can't get back in the country," she said.

Civil rights organizations have condemned the campaign, calling it a breach of constitutional rights. Some students have denied any connections to Hamas and are now suing the administration.

Lawyer Ramis Wadwood, representing four students at the University of Michigan, said none of his clients were given clear reasons for their visa revocations. "We don't know, and that's the scary part," he told Fast Company.


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