Daijiworld Media Network - Washington DC
Washington DC, Apr 26: In a significant development, the United States on Friday halted the ongoing cancellation of student visas issued to international students, including many from India, amid mounting legal challenges and widespread criticism.
According to reports in leading US media outlets, Assistant US Attorney Joseph F. Carilli Jr. informed a Washington DC court that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently developing a new system for reviewing and revoking student visas. Until the new protocol is in place, the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) status for affected students will remain “Active” or be reactivated if previously terminated.
ICE has clarified that no SEVIS record will be modified solely based on the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) findings, which were the basis for many of the recent terminations. The abrupt decision to pause the cancellations comes after more than 1,500 student visas were revoked in recent months, many of them belonging to students alleged to have participated in pro-Palestinian protests on US university campuses.
The crackdown was reportedly triggered by demonstrations opposing Israel’s military action in Gaza following the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. While some cancellations were linked to alleged protest involvement, others were reportedly due to legal violations.
The move has sparked concern among Indian students, who form a large portion of the affected group. A prominent US lawyers' association revealed that nearly 50 percent of the over 300 visa cancellations it reviewed involved students from India. However, official figures on the cancellations have not been released.
The Trump administration has also turned its focus on educational institutions, accusing them of failing to counter student protests and protect Jewish students. The visa cancellations have led to a flurry of lawsuits across the country, with students and advocacy groups challenging the legality and fairness of the decisions.
Amid the growing controversy, US secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the administration’s stance, stating, “It is not in the national interest of the United States… to invite people onto our university campuses who are not just going to go there to study physics or engineering, but who are also going to go there to foment movements that support and excuse foreign terrorist organizations.”
As legal proceedings continue and the review system remains under development, the fate of those students who already left the US after visa cancellations remains uncertain.