More than 170 international students across the UT System schools faced the “revocation of student visas or immigration status changes” as of last Friday, a UT System official confirmed Monday.
In an email to the Austin American-Statesman, Vice Chancellor Randa Safady said that 176 students had been impacted by federal immigration enforcement actions. Safady said UT institutions receive information about the revocation of a student visa or a change in immigration status through the Federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, a database maintained by the Department of Homeland Security.
UT System officials declined to confirm how many students across the UT system received notification of visa revocation or of legal residency status termination.
However, a University spokesperson confirmed on April 9 that multiple international students at UT-Austin experienced a change in their visa status.
The U.S. Department of State can revoke a student visa if a student fails to maintain a sufficient course load, works without proper authorization or violates other terms of their visa, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. According to the American Immigration Lawyers Association, the revocation of a student visa alone is not enough for federal immigration authorities to initiate removal proceedings.
However, if a student’s legal status is terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, the student cannot re-enter the United States if they leave, and Immigration Customs Enforcement may investigate to confirm the departure of the student, according to DHS.
In 2023, UT System schools reported 32,588 active visa records, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement data.
The visa revocations within the UT System are part of the Trump administration’s recent actions to revoke student visas and terminate the legal residency status of international students in colleges and universities across the country.
