In recent weeks, a troubling trend has emerged across higher education institutions in the United States: the quiet and rapid revocation of student visas for international students. While headlines have focused on larger enforcement efforts, the reality on the ground—particularly at small colleges and universities—reveals a far more widespread and chaotic situation.
Reports indicate that hundreds of international students have already had their Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records terminated, with many more cases likely unreported. Institutions ranging from public regional universities to small private colleges are facing increasing numbers of visa cancellations—often without any clear explanation from immigration authorities. Many of these schools, which lack robust infrastructure to support international student populations, are now struggling to navigate an opaque and increasingly punitive system.
What's especially alarming is the nature of these revocations. Students are not being removed for criminal activity or national security concerns, the most common grounds for such actions. Instead, schools report receiving only vague or “general” justifications from immigration officials—offering no opportunity to challenge or clarify the decisions. In several cases, minor traffic violations or past infractions that had been dismissed by courts have led to severe consequences for students, including detention and deportation proceedings.
Some students are receiving notice of their visa terminations while in deeply vulnerable situations, such as hospitalizations. Others are fleeing the country, fearful of ICE raids and uncertain legal terrain. A few have already begun legal challenges, asserting that the revocations represent an overreach and lack of due process.
For small colleges with limited staffing in their international offices—often a single individual tasked with managing dozens or hundreds of students—this crisis is unmanageable. Without clear protocols or guidance from ICE's Student Exchange and Visitor Program, schools are left in the dark, trying to determine whether notifying students of visa issues could be seen as legal interference.
The economic impact could also be devastating. Many of these institutions have come to rely heavily on tuition from international students to stabilize budgets in the face of declining domestic enrollment. A significant drop in international student numbers, combined with increasing visa denials and revocations, may jeopardize the very survival of some colleges.
Beyond the financial implications lies a deeper concern: the message being sent to international students. For years, the U.S. has marketed itself as a beacon of opportunity, welcoming the brightest minds from around the globe. But when students are treated not as scholars but as suspects—tracked more closely than any other demographic, according to international education experts—it creates a chilling effect.
As immigration attorneys, we at Saluja Law are witnessing firsthand the panic, confusion, and heartache this is causing students and their families. Our office is fielding a growing number of calls from students desperate to understand their rights and options, and from institutions uncertain of how to provide lawful, ethical support to those affected.
What is urgently needed is transparency, due process, and collaboration. Colleges must be brought into the loop when revocations occur. Students must have the opportunity to contest these actions. And federal agencies must ensure that enforcement respects the foundational values of fairness and clarity—particularly when lives and futures hang in the balance.
We urge all institutions, regardless of size, to proactively review their international student protocols and ensure legal counsel is involved in all visa-related matters. And for students facing revocations, know that legal support is available—this is not a fight you need to face alone.
Saluja Law Advocates for Fairness in Immigration and Education
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