15-04-2025
MTSU student president, US Rep. DesJarlais speak out about 6 student visas being revoked
The six Middle Tennessee State University international students with recently revoked visas have support from student body president Michai J. Mosby.
A statement Mosby shared with The Daily News Journal noted the impacted peers are among an estimated 660-plus international students pursuing an MTSU education with about 20,000 students overall at the Murfreesboro university.
"To our international community: we see you, we stand with you, and we will continue advocating for your right to be here and thrive," Mosby said.
"I want to express our deep concern and unwavering support for the six international students at MTSU whose immigration statuses were unexpectedly changed."
MTSU's impacted international students are among many others at colleges in Tennessee and throughout the nation since Republican President Donald Trump took his oath of office in January for a second four-year term.
The National Association of International Educators has found nearly 1,000 recent instances of revoked visas, including the arrest or detention of international students, according to an April 14 Knoxville News Sentinel article by USA Today Network Tennessee reporter Allison Kiehl.
The Knox News article noted that U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at a press conference in March that he's revoked at least 300 visas of students he described as "lunatics."
According to an April 8 article by USA Today, some visa revocations around the country appear to be connected to "minor infractions or participation in pro-Palestinian protests."
MTSU spokesperson Jimmy Hart said he's not aware of any pro-Palestinian protests that have taken place at the campus.
Rubio also said "there is no right to a student visa, it is a privilege that can be revoked, especially if the students are involved in any kind of law breaking," according to an April 7 article by Detroit Free Press.
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Visas are overseen and can be revoked by the U.S. Department of State. Status under the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, also known as SEVIS, is overseen and can be revoked by the Department of Homeland Security, Hart said.
"SEVIS provides access to the database that the university uses to check the status of our international students," Hart said.
"The university does not know the specific reasons for the visa status changes, only that they were changed within the federal database that monitors them."
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The policies of the Trump administration pertaining to student visas being revoked have the backing of U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tennessee, serving the 4th District that includes the MTSU campus and Rutherford County.
'President Trump is fulfilling his promise to fix our broken immigration system," DesJarlais said in a statement emailed to The Daily News Journal.
"There are a myriad of reasons why a student visa may be canceled, and the American people hired President Trump to enforce the law − something the previous administration did not do.'
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Hart, the MTSU spokesman, said the university Office of International Affairs has been in contact with the six students with revoked visas to offer ongoing support.
"The professors of these students have been working to ensure they properly finish their studies," Hart said.
"We greatly value our international student population, and work to ensure a safe and welcoming educational environment for them as we do for all our students."
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MTSU learned of the status change of the six students with revoked visas during a university check of the federal database that tracks the status of international students, the MTSU spokesman said.
"University Provost Mark Byrnes emailed all faculty to provide guidance from our University Counsel's Office about what to do if approached by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on campus," Hart said.
The communication from the provost emphasized that the university is committed to following all applicable state and federal laws surrounding the situation, Hart said.
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The statement from the MTSU student body president also expressed concern for all the international students and recent graduates who are facing similar challenges.
"International students are an integral part of our university community," Mosby said.
"They enrich our campus with diverse perspectives, academic excellence and global MTSU, we value inclusion, equity and the fundamental right of every student to pursue their education without fear or uncertainty."
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The MTSU Student Government Association leaders are in active communication with MTSU's administration and relevant campus offices to ensure that affected students are receiving emotional and academic support, Mosby said.
"The Student Government Association stands ready to assist in any way we can, including connecting students with resources and guidance that are fully compliant with U.S. laws and regulations," Mosby said.
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Reach reporter Scott Broden with news tips or questions by emailing him at sbroden@ To support his work with The Daily News Journal, sign up for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: MTSU admin helps 6 students with revoked visas to finish their studies
