U.S. Cracks Down on International Students with Revoked Visas: “We Will Locate You” – Homeland Security Warns
Story written by SpringNewsNG Media Limited – April 21, 2025
According to reports, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has launched a more aggressive approach to visa enforcement, targeting students whose visas have been canceled—even in cases where there was no criminal conviction or formal charges.
“Do not attempt to remain in the United States. The federal government will find you,” read an email allegedly sent by Homeland Security officials, shared by immigration attorney Nicole Micheroni.
Legal experts and immigration advocates have raised alarm over the growing number of international students being detained or deported without prior notification. Attorney Dustin Baxter, representing over 100 affected students, explained that the government is canceling visas based on minimal or unclear grounds.
“Some visas are being revoked due to mere encounters with law enforcement, even if there was no arrest or conviction. In some instances, just a ticket or complaint was enough,” Baxter told CNN.
In a shift from previous procedures, many students learned of their visa cancellations not from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), but from their schools—or through checks in federal immigration databases such as SEVIS.
Stanford University, for example, reported that it became aware of several student visa revocations during a routine SEVIS system review. Four current students and two alumni were affected, according to a university statement on April 4.
This marks a departure from traditional protocol, according to Jeff Joseph, president-elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, who noted that revocations were once typically initiated by designated school officials.
“What’s new under this administration is that ICE is bypassing schools and directly revoking visas,” he said.
One high-profile case that has drawn significant attention involves Rümeysa Öztürk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, who was detained and handcuffed by agents shortly after her visa was revoked—reportedly without any formal notice.
Surveillance footage from the incident reportedly captured her “screaming in confusion and fear.”
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later confirmed that the visa cancellations fall under a clause related to individuals considered a potential “foreign policy risk.”
Meanwhile, several U.S. universities have criticized the lack of transparency and the sudden nature of the revocations, emphasizing that many of the affected students had no disciplinary history or political involvement.
Key Points:
- International students with revoked visas face immediate deportation.
- Some were detained despite no criminal charges or convictions.
- Schools often received no formal notice from immigration officials.
- Legal experts are calling the policy shift a violation of due process.
- Visa revocations now being initiated directly by ICE, not schools.
As the situation unfolds, universities and immigration advocates are urging affected students to seek immediate legal assistance and stay informed through verified communication channels.
