Thousands of international students have their U.S. visa records terminated for minor infractions under the Trump administration.

In a startling development that has left thousands of international students in turmoil, the Trump administration has initiated a crackdown that has led to the termination of visa records for many, often due to minor legal infractions. Reports indicate that many students, including a master’s graduate from the University of South Florida, are now unable to study or work in the U.S. because of past encounters with law enforcement, some as trivial as traffic violations. The student expressed the drastic impact it has had on his life, as he had to resign from his job at the Florida Department of Revenue due to the termination of his visa status by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Immigration lawyers are claiming that ICE's actions are illegal, having violated their own regulations regarding student visa statuses. The Justice Department intervened by stating that people whose SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records are terminated may not necessarily lose their legal status, contradicting guidance from the Department of Homeland Security. This situation has generated at least 60 lawsuits nationwide by international students concerned about their rights and the legality of ICE's actions. There appears to be a significant overreach from ICE, which reportedly ran the names of over a million international students through a federal database focused on criminal information, subsequently flagging around 6,400 individuals. Many of these flagged cases represent minor offenses or charges that were ultimately dismissed—raising concerns among advocates about the consistency and fairness of such actions. Federal Judge Ana Reyes criticized the lack of due process afforded to these students and suggested that ICE could have simply communicated with universities to assess compliance instead of resorting to these severe actions. As immigrant advocates warn of the chilling effect this could have on students’ willingness to engage with law enforcement or pursue any interactions that could lead to unintended consequences, the gravity of ICE's response has highlighted ongoing debates about immigration policy. Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s comments have underscored the administration's unwavering stance on immediate visa repercussions for any criminal charges, reinforcing the perception of strict immigration enforcement without regard for the context of individual cases. Hence, with the recent restoration of records in the face of public backlash, one can expect that further policy adjustments may ensue that could potentially worsen the situation for international students going forward.