Latest news with #Jaweed
Los Angeles Times
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Trump revoked at least 83 student visas. Schools are confused and concerned
Good morning. Here's what you need to know to start your day. The Golden State's renowned universities attract students from all over the world. More than 140,000 international students were enrolled in California campuses last school year, according to data from the Institute of International Education. Some of those students now face an uncertain future after the Trump administration revoked dozens of international student visas beginning Friday, with no apparent warning. That left college leaders scrambling to determine how many of their students are impacted, The Times' Jaweed Kaleem reported Monday, noting that 'some tallies have fluctuated multiple times a day.' But the rough estimate based on our reporting so far is that at least 83 students and recent graduates in California have been affected. Most of them are still in the U.S., but their new status opens them up for deportation and other enforcement. That's what happened to one UC San Diego student, who was 'detained at the border, denied entry and deported to their home country,' Chancellor Pradeep Khosla wrote in a campus message. 'Federal immigration authorities generally only detain individuals when they are a public danger or flight risk but the Trump administration has at times taken more aggressive actions,' Jaweed noted. 'Schools have not reported federal immigration authorities on campuses.' Revocations have been reported on several campuses across the state, including UCLA, UC Irvine, UC San Diego, UC Santa Cruz, UC Berkeley, UC Davis, and Stanford. 'The termination notices indicate that all terminations were due to violations of the terms of the individuals' visa programs,' UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk wrote in a campus message Sunday. Among the state's CSU campuses, the visas of 32 students had been revoked as of midday Monday, a spokesperson for the chancellor's office told me. The spokesperson declined to share details, citing privacy laws. Meanwhile, USC officials have thus far 'declined to state whether student visas were canceled at the campus, which is home to more than 17,000 international students, the largest concentration at any California school,' Jaweed noted. It's unclear why exactly the affected students were targeted for revocation. After headline-making detainments and deportations elsewhere in the U.S., federal officials alleged 'pro-Hamas' activities by foreign students who had protested Israel's war in Palestine. But campus members told Jaweed that there doesn't appear to be a connection to cases in California. A State Department spokesperson told The Times in a written statement that the U.S. 'has zero tolerance for non-citizens who violate U.S. laws,' but did not give specifics about visa cancellations in California. 'Those who break the law, including students, may face visa refusal, visa revocation, and/or deportation,' the spokesperson wrote. 'The Department of State will continue to work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to administer and enforce U.S. visas and immigration laws.' Some affected students are already fighting back. Two filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in Los Angeles federal court over the weekend, arguing their revocations were illegal and claiming their only legal violations had been minor driving-related infractions. In their complaint, their lawyers argue the federal actions are 'designed to coerce students ... into abandoning their studies and 'self-deporting.'' You can read more about the revocations and campuses' responses in Jaweed's ongoing reporting. With hopes for asylum in the U.S. dashed, migrants in Tijuana ponder their next moves The Supreme Court pauses a wrongful deportation case at the behest of Trump lawyers Tesla shares drop amid auto tariffs and a 'brand crisis' What else is going on Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here. He fought racism and fascism: A 108-year-old WWII paratrooper who paved path for Black soldiers dies. Sgt. Joe Harris lived a beautiful life, Times reporter Nathan Solis writes. He sailed to earth on numerous missions as a member of the U.S. Army's first all-Black paratrooper battalion during World War II, the 555th, aptly nicknamed the 'Triple Nickles.' At his funeral service Saturday, friends, families and uniformed members of the military danced and sang to honor Harris, believed to be oldest paratrooper veteran when he died March 15. How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Going out Staying in Email us at essentialcalifornia@ and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they're important to you. Today's great photo is from Erika Brown of Berkeley: Año Nuevo State Park. Erika writes: 'Año Nuevo State Park is gorgeous. In early winter, it also becomes one of the rare locations where northern elephant seals come to breed, birth, and brawl.' Have a great day, from the Essential California team Ryan Fonseca, reporterAndrew Campa, Sunday reporterKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorHunter Clauss, multiplatform editorChristian Orozco, assistant editorKarim Doumar, head of newsletters Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
Los Angeles Times
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
What to know about the Trump administration's order to end DEI programs at schools
Good morning. Here's what you need to know to start your day. The U.S. Department of Education recently announced that schools and colleges must eliminate race-specific programs by the end of the month or risk losing federal funding, my colleague Jaweed Kaleem reports. The sweeping order sent educators in California and across the nation scrambling over the holiday weekend to understand how their academic institutions could be impacted. It comes at a time when many schools are already on alert as President Trump vows to dismantle the Department of Education. Here's a brief look at how the order could affect students, how much federal money goes to California schools and why the Trump administration believes there's a legal precedent for eliminating race-related programs. Financial aid, scholarships and graduation ceremonies are among the programs targeted The Department of Education's order was disclosed in a Feb. 14 letter that laid out a new federal anti-discrimination enforcement policy, my colleague Jaweed reports. The new policy goes beyond existing instances in which it is illegal to consider race, such as in hiring and admissions. It also includes common practices often considered uncontroversial, education and legal experts told Jaweed. They include things like scholarships for racial minorities, culturally themed dorm floors and optional graduation ceremonies for Black, Latino, Native American and other college and high school groups. The guidelines, however, do not mention school initiatives that appeal to nonracial groups, such as women, LGBTQ+ students and religious communities. The order is rooted in the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to end affirmative action The Department of Education's letter cites the Supreme Court's 2023 decision that using race as a factor in student admissions is unconstitutional. While that case only addressed admissions, the department argued the court's ruling set a new legal precedent. 'At its core, the test is simple: If an educational institution treats a person of one race differently than it treats another person because of that person's race, the educational institution violates the law,' the letter stated. Shaun Harper, a USC professor of education, public policy and business, said that interpretation is an overreach. 'The Supreme Court did not outlaw race-conscious campus programs and resources. Instead it ruled that race can't be used as a factor in determining admission,' Harper told Jaweed. California received about $16.3 billion in total federal funding last year That's according to the Education Data Initiative, which compiles information from government sources. California has 5.8 million K-12 public school students, according to the group. At the college level, more than $1.5 billion is allocated each year from the department to California students through Pell Grants, which do not have to be repaid and are awarded to students with low family incomes. The letter did not specify what types of federal funds for schools and colleges are at risk. California's insurance commissioner is in the hot seat after Los Angeles fires California officials described 'chaos' from Trump's funding freezes California policymakers are considering state ownership of one or more oil refineries Amid bird flu, a legendary L.A. deli hatches an egg surcharge What else is going on Get unlimited access to the Los Angeles Times. Subscribe here. Los Angeles has reached peak bumper sticker, going beyond 'Coexist' and into overdrive. It's hard to drive anywhere in the city right now without seeing an irreverent bumper sticker. 'It's like a tattoo,' said Jeanne Vaccaro, who for years has collected stickers from artists, musicians and bookstores. 'Your mom tells you not to. It'll, quote, ruin my car, unquote.' What's the best bumper sticker you've seen in L.A.? Fill out the form in this link and submit a photo if you have one. You may be contacted by a Times reporter to learn more. How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@ Going out Staying in 'The Office'? 'Friends'? Or 'The Golden Girls'? What's your go-to TV show when you need to take your mind off things? Email us at essentialcalifornia@ and your response might appear in the newsletter this week. Today's great photo is from Polly Drown of Palmdale: California poppies. Polly writes: 'The poppies in the Antelope Valley are so bright it blew me away the first time I saw them! And on a good year, they cover the hills as far as you can see.' Show us your favorite place in California! Send us photos you have taken of spots in California that are special — natural or human-made — and tell us why they're important to you. Have a great day, from the Essential California team Ryan Fonseca, reporterDefne Karabatur, fellowAndrew Campa, Sunday reporterKevinisha Walker, multiplatform editorHunter Clauss, multiplatform editorChristian Orozco, assistant editorStephanie Chavez, deputy metro editorKarim Doumar, head of newsletters Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on
