More Visas Revoked for International Students at Johns Hopkins University

In a troubling development, Johns Hopkins University has reported revocations of student visas affecting several dozen of its graduate students and recent graduates. This news was discreetly shared on the university’s Office of International Services website and marks a growing trend of international students in the United States losing their legal status. The Trump administration is under scrutiny, as legal filings suggest that over 500 international student visas have been canceled, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio citing connections to pro-Palestinian activism as a potential reason for the revocations. While the university is seemingly distancing itself from this controversy, emphasizing that it has 'no indication' the terminations are linked to free speech, the implications for students are grave. Approximately 15% of Johns Hopkins’ first-year class comprises international students from 83 countries. Other universities in Maryland, including the University of Maryland, have also reported similar actions against their international students, intensifying concerns about the treatment of non-citizen students amid the current political climate. Legal experts are expressing alarm over such abrupt visa terminations, particularly when students have invested significant time and resources in their education here. The case of Jayson Ma, a graduate from Carnegie Mellon University whose visa was revoked just weeks before graduation, exemplifies the uncertainty students now face. As the situation evolves, it raises broader questions about academic freedom and the rights of international students in jurisdictions increasingly marked by stringent immigration policies.