At least 12 UCLA-affiliated students have had their visas revoked as the Trump administration has begun cracking down on antisemitism and immigration. The Los Angeles Times has reported this number to be closer to 20, and in an announcement from Chancellor Frenk, these numbers remain “fluid and may change.”
Over 1,500 cases of international students or recent graduates having their visas revoked or legal status changed have been recorded across the United States. Those impacted at UCLA include six current students and six who actively participated in Optional Practical Training programs run by the University. The broader UC system has seen at least 110 students lose their legal status.
The State Department initially said it would make only a few hundred visa changes for national security reasons, focusing on individuals whose actions go against U.S. interests. This was mainly a result of the widespread protests that took place in the last year over the ongoing conflict in Gaza and the corresponding rise of antisemitism—issues to which the administration has dedicated significant resources to combat.
As more visas than estimated have been revoked, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have also seemed to change their reasoning for the revocations. Students across the United States are now being targeted for criminal records that range from minor traffic violations to arrests unrelated to pro-Palestinian protests.
On Wednesday, April 16, a UCLA international student was detained by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the San Ysidro port of entry in San Diego on their way back into the United States. It remains unclear why the student was detained, what steps have been taken to release the student or if their visa may have been revoked prior to their reentry. UCLA has been made aware and is following the ongoing situation.
As concerns grow amongst the international student community at UCLA and the UC system, resources have been provided and reiterated to students to make sure they are supported and know their rights. In his April 6 announcement, Chancellor Frenk repeated UCLA’s support and commitment to international students and staff: “You are not alone. You belong at UCLA, and you are an essential part of our community.” He provided information for UCLA’s Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars, serving over 12,000 international members of the UCLA community.
The UC Federal Updates website also continues to provide updated information from across the UC system and includes resources, including a new version of the “Know Your Rights Card.” The website also includes UC President Michael Drake’s recent statement on student visa terminations.
As visa changes shake up America’s colleges and universities, legal challenges to these changes are also underway. For those at UCLA, there are resources for you, and with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding visa revocation, it has become more important to be aware of your resources, rights and legal protections here at UCLA. Additional resources can be found at the end of Chancellor Frenk’s announcement.
—
Featured Image: Campus security officers patrol in front of Royce Hall, biking by a UCPD vehicle parked in the plaza. Campus security and UCPD officers joined forces to patrol the area as the visa revocations of at least 100 UC students have sparked protests across UC campuses. Photographed by Regan Rhodes/BruinLife
