The United States government has begun a sweeping revocation of student visas, forcing hundreds of international students, including Nigerians, to exit the country. The crackdown, reportedly orchestrated by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has sparked fear and confusion among affected students.
“Do not attempt to remain in the United States. The federal government will find you,” read an email shared by immigration attorney Nicole Micheroni, allegedly sent by DHS to impacted students.
According to legal experts, some students have been arrested without prior notice or clear explanations for the revocations. Attorney Dustin Baxter, who is representing over 100 affected students, said, “Many of those targeted were never involved in protests or any crimes. In some cases, there wasn’t even an arrest—just an encounter or minor citation.”
Baxter emphasized that visa cancellations were carried out even when students had no criminal records. “They would revoke the person’s student visa based on an arrest, a citation, or sometimes nothing more than a suspicion,” he added in an interview with CNN.
Some students only discovered their visa had been revoked through their universities, while many schools were also left in the dark until conducting routine checks in the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) database. Stanford University confirmed in a statement on April 4 that it learned about the visa revocations of four students and two recent graduates only after a standard review.
“This marks a significant departure from previous practices,” said Jeff Joseph, president-elect of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. “Before now, visa revocations in SEVIS were typically initiated by designated school officials. Now, ICE is taking that role directly.”
In one high-profile incident, Rümeysa Öztürk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained by federal agents shortly after her visa was revoked without prior notice. Surveillance footage cited in court described her as “shrieking in fear and confusion” during the arrest.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has confirmed the government’s actions under a provision that allows visa cancellations for individuals deemed to pose “serious foreign policy consequences.” The State Department maintains it has the right to revoke visas at any time, adding that visa holders are under continuous surveillance.
“We consistently monitor visa holders and will cancel visas and deport anyone not complying with regulations,” the department stated.
This development has sparked widespread anxiety among foreign students in the U.S., as concerns mount over transparency, due process, and the broader implications of the Trump administration’s immigration policies.
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