May 11, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; A general view of the Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism on the campus of the University of Southern California. The building is the proposed site for the main press center for the 2024 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
California – Universities across California are reporting a wave of student visa revocations as part of a sweeping crackdown by the Trump administration, leaving dozens of international students and recent graduates in legal limbo.
Stanford University confirmed Sunday that six members of its community — four students and two recent graduates — had their visas revoked. The discovery was made during a routine check of the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). In response, Stanford has notified the affected individuals and offered access to external legal assistance.
“We are deeply concerned for the students impacted and are committed to supporting them during this difficult time,” the university said in a statement.
This development follows recent remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who revealed that the State Department has revoked over 300 student visas in what many see as a targeted effort against foreign-born students engaged in political activism. In recent weeks, several prominent pro-Palestinian scholars have reportedly been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
California universities appear to be disproportionately affected. More than three dozen students and alumni across the state have had their visas nullified in just the past week, although universities are withholding individual details due to privacy laws.
At the University of California, Berkeley, six individuals — one undergraduate, three graduate students, and two alumni participating in the STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program — were affected. UC San Diego reported five student visa revocations, while UC Davis confirmed that seven students and five alumni had been impacted.
“The federal government has not explained the reasons behind these terminations,” UC Davis said in a statement. “We recognize that these actions are distressing for many in our campus community.”
The University of California system, which spans 10 campuses, acknowledged it is monitoring the situation closely but directed specific questions to individual campuses. UC Irvine declined to specify how many of its students or alumni were affected but said it is offering guidance and support.
At UCLA, Chancellor Julio Frenk confirmed that six current students and six recent graduates on OPT had their visas revoked. “We want our immigrant and international UCLA students, staff and faculty to know we support your ability to work, learn, teach and thrive here,” Frenk stated.
University leaders across the state are bracing for more revocations and calling for transparency from federal authorities as the situation continues to unfold.
