Delaware
At least 8 University of Delaware students see visas revoked by the Trump administration
Trump cracks down on visas as some students face deportation
The visas of international students around the U.S. are being unexpectedly revoked under the Trump administration’s agenda to reduce the number of both legal and undocumented immigrants.
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At least eight college students studying in Delaware have had visas revoked by the Trump administration.
The University of Delaware confirmed Thursday the U.S. Department of Homeland Security quietly terminated the records or visas of eight university-sponsored holders, which it learned through reviewing its Student and Exchange Visitor Information System. Delaware State University has not yet disclosed whether students have been impacted.
This comes as the new administration has revoked hundreds of international student visas across the country so far, as reported by USA TODAY, setting off a scramble for them to leave the United States within days. So far, these reflect a small portion of an estimated 1.5 million international students studying in the U.S. or some 2,400 in Newark alone.
Shockwaves are being felt, regardless.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there is no right to a student visa and that it is a “privilege” that can be revoked, especially if students are involved in any kind of lawbreaking behavior. However, in many cases, exact reasons have not been given to students and universities.
Delaware’s largest university said it was not provided with any “specific facts underlying the decisions” in these eight cases.
A spokesperson said the federal department has the legal authority to terminate these records at any time, but giving notice to the host school, at least, is not required. In terms of whether students must cease study immediately, UD said it remains “a case-by-case situation.”
UD did not share more specifics on these students, citing sensitivity and privacy concerns. It did mention staff has conducted outreach and resources to assist with identifying legal immigration services, alongside other campus support.
“They are part of the fabric of University of Delaware, and taking away these records or these visas will prevent them from studying and living and working in the United States,” ACLU of Delaware Executive Director Mike Brickner said. “And, there are very specific steps that the government has to go through in order to revoke a student visa — they have due process, they have to have the ability to challenge it.”
ACLU affiliates in other states have already moved to challenge the administration on these visa revocations, alongside the National Immigration Project. Brickner did not confirm or deny similar plans in Delaware, but the director said any students or families impacted should contact ACLU-DE.
Delaware Gov. Matt Meyer’s office declined to comment on this issue Thursday morning.
This story is developing and will be updated as more information becomes available.
Have you been impacted by this administration’s immigration crackdown? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@gannett.com.
What’s going on?
There is no central accounting of just how many students have had their visas revoked or where they came from, USA TODAY reported earlier this week.
President Donald Trump campaigned on promises of tough immigration controls, while some conservatives have accused countries — particularly China — of sending students to study in the United States to steal intellectual property.
Money-wise, international students are typically ineligible for financial aid and usually pay full tuition, thus subsidizing other students. Many contribute to the economy and to U.S. research, Brickner noted, while often choosing to live in the country after their studies as paying taxpayers.
Last month, Rubio said he has revoked at least 300 visas of students, citing pro-Palestinian support and largely activities that are considered protected First Amendment rights. Others appear to be connected to incidents as minor as roommate disputes or off-campus traffic tickets, university officials told USA TODAY.
So far, these cancellations appear to be different than the detentions of Columbia University graduate Mahmoud Khalil and Tufts University student Rümeysa Öztürk, USA TODAY reported, largely because the students are not being detained.
Instead, many are being told to self-deport within a week.
“Our fear is that this may just be sort of the tip of the iceberg, right?” Bricker said. “We’ve seen some number of students have their visas revoked — but we’re still very early in this administration.”
USA TODAY contributed to this report.
Have you been impacted by this immigration crackdown? Contact Kelly Powers at kepowers@gannett.com.