Homeland Security terminates NDSU student's immigration status
Apr. 11—FARGO — The Department of Homeland Security has terminated the work status of a recent graduate from
North Dakota State University,
a university email confirmed.
The campus email sent by Provost David Bertolini on Thursday, April 10, stated Homeland Security unexpectedly took action last Friday, April 4, against a recent NDSU graduate participating in Optional Practical Training.
Optional Practical Training is a program allowing international students with F-1 student status to work in the U.S. for a period directly related to their field of study.
Homeland Security terminated the student's Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, status. If a person's SEVIS status is terminated, they may need to depart the U.S. immediately or apply for reinstatement, according to immigration law firm ILBSG.
Bertolini's email included information from NDSU's International Student and Study Abroad Services, or ISSAS, office and Faculty Immigration Office.
"Within an hour, our team became aware of the situation and immediately reached out to the student to address it," the ISSAS email said.
"In light of recent national developments, we anticipate that similar situations may arise again," the email said. "Please know that ISSAS remains deeply committed to supporting, guiding, and advocating for our students — especially in moments of uncertainty."
ISSAS hosted virtual and in-person town hall events this week for international students and faculty to offer support and "remind everyone that they are not alone," the message said.
ILBSG, based in Illinois,
reported widespread SEVIS terminations among F-1 students nationwide with no warning this week.
It said the terminations are part of a large-scale effort by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to target individuals with lawful immigration status and issue revocations based on "actual or perceived criminal histories."
Impacts have been felt in Minnesota, as well, with Homeland Security terminating records of
at least five international students at Minnesota State University Mankato and at least three students at the University of Minnesota.
Another U of M graduate student has been held at the Sherburne County Jail pending deportation proceedings and is
facing additional charges from Homeland Security, not yet publicly available.
At St. Cloud State University,
visas for several international students was recently terminated.
At Minnesota State University Moorhead,
administrators said they're fielding questions and providing support to international students who are worried about their visa status. They have not reported any students impacted.
A spokesperson at Concordia College in Moorhead said no international students there have had their visas revoked.
An NDSU spokesperson said they did not have anyone available to provide more information.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
31 minutes ago
- CBS News
Federal agent from Minnesota charged with production of child pornography
A federal agent from Minnesota has been indicted for allegedly producing child pornography, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Minnesota. Court documents say Timothy Gregg, a 51-year-old Homeland Security investigations special agent and task force officer with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, "attempted, coerced, and enticed a minor victim to take part in sexually explicit conduct" to produce child pornography. Charges allege the victim's father discovered images and videos on her phone depicting her and an "older individual," later identified as Gregg, engaging in sexually explicit activity. In an interview with investigators, the 17-year-old victim said she met Gregg on Tinder and that they met up multiple times, according to the complaint. Charges say she "believed the sex was consensual, even though she was 17 years old," and confirmed that Gregg took photos and videos of their sexual interactions. Timothy Gregg, 51, has been federally charged with production of child pornography. Sherburne County Jail Investigators say, based on a review of the victim's text message history and talking with her, they believe Gregg would record the sexually explicit images and videos on his cell phone before sending them to the victim. Gregg had his first court appearance on June 4 and will remain in custody pending further proceedings. "The allegations in this case represent a gross violation of both the law and the responsibilities entrusted to those who wear a badge," said Special Agent in Charge Alvin M. Winston Sr. of FBI Minneapolis. "There is no place in law enforcement — or in any position of public trust — for those who exploit minors." Acting U.S. Attorney Joseph H. Thompson says there has been a "rash of agents, officers, and public officials engaging in crimes against children" in recent months, including the arrest of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer from Minnesota last week for possession of child pornography. If you know of a child who may have been a victim of exploitation, call the National Center for Missing or Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678 or visit the website.
The Hill
2 hours ago
- The Hill
Lawmakers urge Trump administration to clamp down on illicit GLP-1 sales
A bipartisan group of congressional lawmakers is calling on the Trump administration to address the continued sale of illicit, compounded GLP-1 products, warning that consumers may be accessing these drugs without knowing the product could be fraudulent. North Carolina Reps. Brad Knott (R) and Deborah Ross (D) wrote to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Marty Makary, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, imploring them to end the sale of 'counterfeit, research-grade and illegal copycats' of popular GLP-1 medications. When the commercial, branded versions of tirzepatide and semaglutide were declared to no longer be in shortage, compounding pharmacies were disallowed from continuing to sell compounded versions of those drugs. While telehealth companies have transitioned away from compounded versions, state officials have warned that 'copycat' drugs have proliferated in the months since the shortages ended. Earlier this year, the National Association of Attorneys General sent a letter to the FDA to warn that 'counterfeit GLP-1 drugs have infiltrated the U.S. supply chain from China, Turkey, India, and other foreign sources.' According to the attorneys general, online retailers sell the active ingredient for the GLP-1s under the claim that they're 'for research purposes only' or 'not for human consumption' while still marketing them to consumers on social media. The FDA issued a warning in April, telling consumers to not take counterfeit Ozempic. The drug's manufacturer, Novo Nordisk, had alerted the agency that several hundred units of counterfeit product had entered the U.S. supply chain. At the time, the FDA said it was aware of six adverse events associated with the counterfeit products. Though the FBI issued a public service warning soon after the letter from the attorneys general was sent, Knott and Ross said raising public awareness wasn't enough. 'FDA has received hundreds of reports of adverse events, even some resulting in the hospitalization and death of patients who used illicit GLP-1s,' they wrote. 'This is likely a significant underreporting of adverse events experienced by patients because federal law does not require state-licensed pharmacies that are not outsourcing facilities to submit adverse events to FDA.' The lawmakers asked that the Trump Cabinet members fully use 'the legal tools at your discretion' to further detect illicit and enforce U.S. drug standards. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) sent his own letter to Cabinet members, calling for enhanced collaboration among agencies like FDA, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Justice Department in order to stop the counterfeit products from reaching the supply chain in the first place. The Hill has reached out to the agencies named in the letter for comment.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Baker man pleads guilty to human trafficking charges
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A Baker man pleaded guilty to five counts of human trafficking, the East Baton Rouge District Attorney's office confirmed Wednesday. Sentencing for Kevontae Reed, 29, is scheduled for Sept. 25. Troopers arrested Reed on human trafficking and indecent behavior with a juvenile charges after a March 14, 2024, undercover operation with Homeland Security at a Baton Rouge hotel. According to the Louisiana State Police, a human trafficking victim was rescued. LSP identified Reed as a repeat offender with a history of human trafficking offenses. Secret recording leads to Fla. child trafficking victim's rescue after sister calls 911: sheriff The Louisiana State Police has an online reporting system that residents can use to send anonymous reports of human trafficking. People can visit the Louisiana State Analytical & Fusion Exchange website and click on the 'Suspicious Activity' link to make a report. Another way to make a report is by calling the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. WBRSO deputy hurt in crash on I-10, officials say Beach Boys' Brian Wilson dies, family 'at a loss for words' Celebrate US Army's 250th birthday at Perkins Rowe block party Baker man pleads guilty to human trafficking charges Thune threatens to nix July 4 recess to finish work on Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
