The current crackdown on international students by the United States Department of State (DOS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has had a disproportionate impact on Indian students.
Last month, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that the DOS had cancelled over 300 student visas and launched a new 'Catch and Revoke' programme that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI)-assisted reviews to monitor student visa holders' social media activity.
According to a recent release by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), Indian students account for 50 per cent of reported cases (from a sample of 327), Financial Express reports.
While half of the students were from India, those from China, South Korea, Nepal, and Bangladesh also had their visas revoked and their SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records cancelled.
Fifty per cent of these students were on Optional Practical Training (OPT), which meant they had graduated and were working in the United States.
According to the findings, just 57% of respondents reported receiving notice of their visa revocation. The bulk of these notices arrived via email from the consulate that issued their visa. Only two students claimed a history of participating in political protests.
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) received 327 reports of visa revocation and SEVIS terminations from attorneys, students, and university personnel. According to the AILA report, ICE has terminated 4,736 SEVIS records since January 20, 2025, with the majority of them being F-1 status.
Moreover, only 14 per cent of these students, who were all on OPT, reported receiving notice from ICE, and they all received an email alerting them that their OPT had been terminated.
