At least five UC San Diego students had their F-1 visas "suddenly" revoked by the federal government, and a sixth student was allegedly detained at the border, denied entry and deported, Chancellor Pradeep Khosla said over the weekend.
Khosla said the university received the notification "without warning," and that the federal government has not explained the reasons behind the terminations. The students have been notified and the school is working directly with them to provide support, he said.
President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January that threatened to revoke the visas of people who participated in pro-Palestinian protests last spring amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 27 that the government had revoked the visas of 300 international students studying in the United States. Dozens of those affected students at California schools.
The crackdown is not solely targeting college students, but also involves many different types of visa holders as part of a broad range of immigration policies implemented by the Trump administration.
"The overwhelming majority of student visas in this country will not be revoked, because the overwhelming majority of people that are coming to this country to study are not involved and associated or aligned with organizations that seek to do damage in this country, and that, frankly, organizations that hate the United States Government and hate our way of life," according to a statement from Rubio. "So I just think it's crazy to continue to provide visas so people can come here and advocate for policies that are in direct contradiction of our national interest."
UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk said Sunday that six current UCLA students and six former students participating in a training program had their visas revoked.
"The University of California is aware that international students across several of our campuses have been impacted by recent SEVIS terminations. This is a fluid situation, and we continue to monitor and assess its implications for the UC community and the people affected," the UC said in a statement issued Friday. "We are committed to doing what we can to support all members of our community as they exercise their rights under the law. In doing that, the University will continue to follow all applicable state and federal laws."
Khosla's notice on the sudden revoking of F-1 visas also directed students to a 2016 UC statement of principles in support of undocumented members of the UC community that read in part: "The University of California welcomes and supports students without regard to their immigration status. UC will continue to admit students in a manner consistent with our nondiscrimination policy and without regard to a student's race, color, national origin, religion, citizenship or other protected characteristic.
" ... The University is committed to creating an environment in which all admitted students can successfully matriculate and graduate," the statement continued.
According to the UCSD Guardian, the campus newspaper, all six affected UCSD students were instructed to leave the country immediately.
