A sweeping new crackdown by the United States Department of State (DOS) is leaving hundreds of international students — including some Indians — facing the threat of deportation, with many receiving emails directing them to “self-deport” over alleged campus activism or online activity.
As reported by The Times of India, the crackdown stems from a directive issued on March 25 by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, which mandates social media reviews of all existing and new international student visa applicants. Those found to have posted or interacted with content deemed “anti-national” or supportive of terror groups risk immediate visa revocation.
This initiative, known as 'Catch and Revoke', uses artificial intelligence to identify social media activity tied to activism. In just three weeks, over 300 student visas have already been revoked, according to Axios, a US-based news organisation. The initiative appears to cover both physical participation in protests as well as passive engagement, such as liking or sharing posts, on social media platforms.
A standard email sent to affected students warns them that “additional information became available after your visa was issued,” leading to its revocation under Section 221(i) of the United States Immigration and Nationality Act. It also cautions that continued stay in the US without valid status may lead to “fines, detention, and/or deportation,” and urges students to leave immediately and report to the embassy for visa cancellation.
With over 1.1 million international students in the United States — including 3.31 lakh from India — many immigration lawyers are concerned about the scope and intensity of this effort. Jath Shao, founder of a US-based immigration law firm, explained that most international students on F-1 or J-1 visas are admitted for the “duration of status” (D/S), which allows them to legally remain in the US as long as they are enrolled and compliant.
“Historically, someone admitted under D/S could stay as long as they are maintaining that status,” Shao said. However, he warned that the USCIS website was updated on January 25 to state that unlawful presence can begin the day after a student’s status ends, raising the stakes for anyone who inadvertently falls out of status.
