In a sweeping move that has left students reeling, the United States government under President Donald Trump has revoked the visas of nearly 40 international students over minor infractions, including traffic violations, as part of an intensified crackdown on immigration and university compliance.
The move, described by experts and legal advocates as unprecedented and politically motivated, has impacted students across several top universities including Stanford, UCLA, UC San Diego, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Ohio State.
Among the affected is Lisa, a final-year student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Just one month before graduation, she received an email from her school’s International Student Services (ISS) informing her that her SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record had been terminated. The reason: a minor traffic citation and fingerprinting during court processing—an event she initially believed to be inconsequential.
Students who receive a SEVIS termination must leave the U.S. within 15 days or face deportation and possible long-term visa bans. In many cases, the infractions cited were non-criminal—expired licenses, dismissed charges, or court appearances that involved fingerprinting. Still, termination notices referred to these as “criminal records.”
Immigration attorney Shenqi Cai criticized the government’s approach, calling it “automated, generalized, and blind to legal nuances.” She added, “Fingerprinting alone should not equate to a criminal record, yet students are being removed en masse without the chance to explain.”
The crackdown follows a statement by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on March 27, where he announced the revocation of hundreds of student visas as part of what he called a national security strategy. “Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” Rubio said.
David, a Chinese graduate working in the U.S. under OPT (Optional Practical Training), lost his legal right to work overnight and is now being relocated by his employer to Canada. Another student, Bill, faces legal uncertainty over a pending citation for an expired license—he must appear in court but risks arrest if he remains.
More than 50 universities have reported similar cases, as documented in an online spreadsheet compiled by affected students. Emergency legal aid sessions have seen record attendance, with over 300 students recently joining a Zoom call with immigration attorney Brad Banias.
“This isn’t a legal move, it’s a political one,” Banias told attendees. “They’re criminalizing parking tickets.”
Universities have offered limited help, mainly referrals to immigration attorneys, many of whom charge high legal fees. Students are now facing not just deportation, but the derailment of years of academic and professional dreams.
Lisa, her graduation and graduate school hopes now hanging in the balance, summed up the bleak mood among students: “Worst case, I don’t graduate. I go home and start college again. Four more years. And then what?”
The wave of terminations has triggered widespread condemnation, with advocates warning that this may signal the start of a broader crackdown targeting the international student community in America.
