In a sudden development that's rippled through the Texas A&M community, at least 15 international students have seen their legal status to remain in the United States vanquished, as reported by KBTX. This move is part of a larger nationwide immigration crackdown that's sending jitters through the international student population in the country.
These revocations have caused a spike in concern, leading to an increase in calls to immigration attorneys like Philip Rodriguez who, in a statement to KBTX, remarked, "A lot of students are worried. A lot of students are facing visa revocations." Rodriguez, who brings over a decade of experience, pointed out that losing a visa, which acts like a 'passport stamp', is different from losing a protected status, though revocations can affect the ability to obtain future visas.
According to CBS Austin, Texas A&M University has been proactive in reaching out to the students affected, offering them information and support. The university currently has a substantial international student body, comprising over 6,000 students hailing from 137 countries. Immigration attorney Faye Kolly expressed concerns saying, "Some of the best and brightest international students may go elsewhere if they can’t count on their status being safe because they are randomly revoked."
Amid these concerns, the Trump administration has reportedly been revoking visas over the students' participation in pro-Palestinian protests, with officials, such as Secretary of State Marco Rubio, defending these actions as a protective measure for universities. He stated, "We are not going to be importing activists into the United States. They’re here to study, they’re here to go to class. They’re not here to lead activist movements that are disruptive and undermine our universities," as stated by KBTX.
