Latest news with #CourtneyGilmartin
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US revokes visas from 15 international students at UCF, detains 1
ORLANDO, Fla. — Fifteen international students at the University of Central Florida have had their visas terminated in the last month, and one was detained by law enforcement. Courtney Gilmartin, a UCF spokesperson, confirmed the revocations, saying the 15 students in the United States on F-1 student visas have had their visas revoked since March 25 based on records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. They were flagged for criminal records or 'otherwise failing to maintain' their visa status but no additional information was available on their cases, including why the one student was detained, Gilmartin said. UCF notified each student of their visa termination and advised them to leave the country, she added. The university, Florida's largest by enrollment, enrolls about 5,000 international students, according to its website. The Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration has led to the revocation of thousands of international students' visas nationwide, apparently in some cases because students took part in campus protests against the war in Gaza or in others because of minor run-ins with law enforcement, including traffic infractions. As of Thursday, more than 1,700 international students nationwide have had their visas revoked, according to Inside Higher Ed, including eight at the University of Florida, three at Florida State University and 18 at Florida International University. At UF, Felipe Zapata Velázquez was deported to Colombia following a traffic stop where police found he was driving with a suspended license and registration, according to the student news publication Fresh Take Florida. His family said at the time he was renewing his student visa, but it was not clear he had a currently valid one. Talat Rahman, UCF's faculty union president and trustee chair, said a student in her department was notified of their visa termination and has already returned to India. Rahman, who came from Pakistan to study in the U.S. on a student visa, said the visa cancellations have 'never been done before' on this scale. Now a U.S. citizen, Rahman said the revocations worry her since students had no due process and might be forced to leave the country because of a traffic ticket or for exercising their First Amendment rights. And it makes all international students fearful, she said. 'It's essentially saying, 'Hey, you're not welcome,'' Rahman said. -------------
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
US revokes visas from 15 international students at UCF, detains one
ORLANDO, Fla. — Fifteen international students at the University of Central Florida have had their visas terminated in the last month, and one was detained by law enforcement. Courtney Gilmartin, a UCF spokesperson, confirmed the revocations, saying the 15 students in the United States on F-1 student visas have had their visas revoked since March 25 based on records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. They were flagged for criminal records or 'otherwise failing to maintain' their visa status but no additional information was available on their cases, including why the one student was detained, Gilmartin said. UCF notified each student of their visa termination and advised them to leave the country, she added. The university, Florida's largest by enrollment, enrolls about 5,000 international students, according to its website. The Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration has led to the revocation of thousands of international students' visas nationwide, apparently in some cases because students took part in campus protests against the war in Gaza or in others because of minor run-ins with law enforcement, including traffic infractions. As of Thursday, more than 1,700 international students nationwide have had their visas revoked, according to Inside Higher Ed, including eight at the University of Florida, three at Florida State University and 18 at Florida International University. At UF, Felipe Zapata Velázquez was deported to Colombia following a traffic stop where police found he was driving with a suspended license and registration, according to the student news publication Fresh Take Florida. His family said at the time he was renewing his student visa, but it was not clear he had a currently valid one. Talat Rahman, UCF's faculty union president and trustee chair, said a student in her department was notified of their visa termination and has already returned to India. Rahman, who came from Pakistan to study in the U.S. on a student visa, said the visa cancellations have 'never been done before' on this scale. Now a U.S. citizen, Rahman said the revocations worry her since students had no due process and might be forced to leave the country because of a traffic ticket or for exercising their First Amendment rights. And it makes all international students fearful, she said. 'It's essentially saying, 'Hey, you're not welcome,'' Rahman said. -------------
Yahoo
24-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.S. revokes visas from 15 international students at UCF, detains one
Fifteen international students at the University of Central Florida have had their visas terminated in the last month, and one was detained by law enforcement. Courtney Gilmartin, a UCF spokesperson, confirmed the revocations, saying the 15 students in the United States on F-1 student visas have had their visas revoked since March 25 based on records from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. They were flagged for criminal records or 'otherwise failing to maintain' their visa status but no additional information was available on their cases, including why the one student was detained, Gilmartin said. UCF notified each student of their visa termination and advised them to leave the country, she added. The university, Florida's largest by enrollment, enrolls about 5,000 international students, according to its website. The Trump administration's crackdown on illegal immigration has led to the revocation of thousands of international students' visas nationwide, apparently in some cases because students took part in campus protests against the war in Gaza or in others because of minor run-ins with law enforcement, including traffic infractions. As of Thursday, more than 1,700 international students nationwide have had their visas revoked, according to Inside Higher Ed, including eight at the University of Florida, three at Florida State University and 18 at Florida International University. At UF, Felipe Zapata Velázquez was deported to Colombia following a traffic stop where police found he was driving with a suspended license and registration, according to the student news publication Fresh Take Florida. His family said at the time he was renewing his student visa, but it was not clear he had a currently valid one. Talat Rahman, UCF's faculty union president and trustee chair, said a student in her department was notified of their visa termination and has already returned to India. Rahman, who came from Pakistan to study in the U.S. on a student visa, said the visa cancellations have 'never been done before' on this scale. Now a U.S. citizen, Rahman said the revocations worry her since students had no due process and might be forced to leave the country because of a traffic ticket or for exercising their First Amendment rights. And it makes all international students fearful, she said. 'It's essentially saying, 'Hey, you're not welcome,'' Rahman said. This is a developing story, check back for updates.
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Yahoo
Two UCF fraternities close amid probe into 'dangerous and degrading' hazing
Two fraternities at the University of Central Florida shut their doors following investigations into 'dangerous and degrading' hazing allegations, the university announced this week. UCF's investigations of Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon confirmed hazing took place but did not lead to criminal charges because of a lack of cooperating witnesses, the university said in a press release. The two fraternities' national organizations decided to shutter their UCF chapters after the March investigations by the UCF police department and administrators. The hazing allegations against Sigma Chi included witness claims that fraternity brothers ran into pledges with their cars. The chapter's closures are indefinite, university spokesperson Courtney Gilmartin said Thursday. Sigma Chi had about 80 members and Delta Upsilon had about 60 last year, according to a UCF report. It's unclear what will happen with the chapters' on-campus houses and the students who live in them. Despite UCF police filing no criminal charges, the students involved in the hazing incidents are still subject to the student conduct process, Adrienne Frame, UCF's vice president for student success and well-being, said in a statement. 'UCF remains committed to fostering a culture of safety, integrity, and respect for all our students, including those in Greek life,' Frame said. The university, however, did not provide any details on what punishment any of the fraternity members might face. Sigma Chi has been a repeat offender at UCF, having been suspended eight times between 2015 and 2020, including four suspensions in 2019 alone. One of those 2019 incidents involved allegations the fraternity had blindfolded a pledge and forced him to use cocaine. In March, the university announced the investigations into both fraternities and then released documents that detailed accusations that Sigma Chi brothers hit new members with a car. Additional documents about the Delta Upsilon investigation were not available as of Thursday. In February, a sorority member whose house sits next door to Sigma Chi's told police that she heard yelling, saw a car strike a young man and then heard someone shout 'help!' and 'my bones, my bones, they're broken,' the report said. She reported seeing several men all wearing white shirts or polos with khaki pants, which she told police was common fraternity pledge attire. Other residents of the sorority later told police 'one of the boys got hit by a car.' A detective assigned to the case wrote in the report, 'Sigma Chi brothers had allegedly forced new members to stand in front of cars while members of the organization hit them with cars.' Police interviewed three Sigma Chi brothers that evening who said they had no knowledge of anyone being hit by a car or getting hurt and that they were playing basketball just before police had arrived. One officer described a fraternity brother as being 'evasive' when questioned. A Kia matching the eyewitness description tried to leave the area driving with its headlights off, but police stopped the car. It's unclear what police found when they stopped the vehicle. Police officers also checked inside the fraternity house and with local hospitals, but they did not find a victim they thought was related to the incident at Sigma Chi, the report said. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Fox News
13-03-2025
- Fox News
University of Central Florida suspends 2 fraternities for alleged hazing, including hitting pledges with cars
An investigation is underway at a Florida university after two fraternities were suspended for serious hazing allegations. The University of Central Florida has suspended fraternities Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon after multiple reports of "dangerous and degrading" hazing, a school official said in a statement shared with WKMG. According to an incident report obtained by the Orlando Sentinel, fraternity brothers at Sigma Chi allegedly hit pledges with a car as part of a hazing ritual. A sorority member whose house sits next door to Sigma Chi's told police she heard yelling, saw a car strike a young man and then heard someone shout "help!" and "my bones, my bones, they're broken," a report said. In the statement, UCF officials stated that both Sigma Chi and Delta Upsilon are on interim organizational suspension and under active investigation by UCF Police for felony hazing, including "a risk of injury or death." A detective assigned to the case wrote in the report, "Sigma Chi brothers had allegedly forced new members to stand in front of cars while members of the organization hit them with cars." The outlet uncovered that Sigma Chi has been a repeat offender at UCF, having been suspended eight times between 2015 and 2020, including four suspensions in 2019 alone. One of those 2019 incidents involved allegations the fraternity had blindfolded a pledge and forced him to use cocaine. The national chapters have also temporarily suspended the UCF fraternities. The oldest incident occurred in November at a fraternity house off campus, according to records obtained by WKMG. The incident happened while UCF's main campus was closed and was not reported until Jan. 22. A second hazing incident allegedly occurred on campus at the Sigma Chi house. The log says the incident occurred between Feb. 3 and Feb. 24 and was reported March 7. A third incident, involving Sigma Chi, stems from allegations of a hit-and-run incident that occurred Feb. 24 on campus. The fourth hazing incident was reported March 4. Authorities have not released details about the specific incidents that led to the investigations or whether any individuals have been charged. It is also unclear how long the suspensions will last or what disciplinary actions the fraternities may face. This is the latest incident involving serious allegations within the school's Greek system, which has added to growing concerns about a hazing culture on campus. The suspensions follow last month's action against Phi Gamma Delta for alleged antisemitism, which reportedly involved "the use of hate symbols." "UCF unequivocally condemns hazing in all forms, and we are committed to holding individuals and organizations accountable for actions that threaten the safety and well-being of our students and others," Courtney Gilmartin, assistant vice president of strategic initiatives and communications, told WKMG. Gilmartin added that the fraternities' suspensions barred them from on- and off-campus activities, including recruitment and social events. Fox News Digital reached out to the university for comment but did not immediately receive a response. Stepheny Price is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. She covers topics including missing persons, homicides, national crime cases, illegal immigration, and more. Story tips and ideas can be sent to
