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US visa crackdown: International students rethink summer travel plans

International students in the United States are reconsidering their summer break plans, worried that even domestic travel could jeopardise their legal status. A PhD student at the University of California, San Diego, had planned a trip with friends to Hawaii. But after reports of students across the country losing their legal status, the trip was called off. 'I probably am going to skip that to ... have as few interactions with governments as possible,' the student told Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear of being targeted. Travel plans under scrutiny The Trump administration's crackdown on student visas has caused widespread anxiety among international students hoping to travel for holidays, to visit family, or to conduct research. Some universities had already advised students and staff to delay travel, even before large-scale terminations were reported. Early warnings were linked to government efforts to deport students involved in pro-Palestinian activism. As the number of status terminations has grown, more institutions have urged caution. University of California, Berkeley, issued an advisory last week warning that international travel could be risky due to 'strict vetting and enforcement.' An Associated Press review of university statements, official correspondence and court documents found that at least 1,220 students at 187 colleges, universities and university systems had either lost their visas or had their legal status terminated since late March. Some students left the country, others stopped attending classes, and a few went into hiding. Many international students whose status was revoked said they did not fit into either category, or had only minor incidents on record. Sheela Murthy, president and CEO of US-based Murthy Law Firm, told Business Standard there was little individual review behind the mass cancellations. 'Based on our understanding, the Department of Homeland Security took a shortcut of targeting anyone who had any type of incident or had their fingerprints taken or attended a court hearing,' said Murthy. 'They may have used AI to send out blanket visa revocations and SEVIS terminations without confirming if they were throwing the baby out with the bathwater.' She added that most affected students either had no criminal record or had seen their cases dismissed. 'The revocations and terminations in those cases would be clearly incorrect and violate due process under US law,' she said. Warnings mirror early Trump era concerns The last time universities issued similar travel warnings was before Donald Trump's inauguration on January 20, 2025. Universities including the University of Massachusetts, Wesleyan University and Yale University urged their international communities to return early from travel plans. 'Based on previous experience with travel bans enacted in the first Trump administration, the Office of Global Affairs has made this advisory out of an abundance of caution,' the schools said in a joint advisory. Speaking to Business Standard at the time, Russell A Stamets, Partner at Circle of Counsels, a Delhi-based law firm, said universities were recommending that foreign students return to campus for their own protection. 'Trump has made it clear he intends to prioritise protecting American jobs, which has caused anxiety among international students,' he said. Thousands more affected The real number of affected students appears to be far higher. According to an April 10 response from Immigration and Customs Enforcement to congressional inquiries, at least 4,736 international students' visa records were terminated in the federal database that tracks their legal status. < Some students went into hiding or left the United States voluntarily. < Many said they had only minor infractions or were unaware why their visa records were deleted. < Federal judges raised due process concerns in some cases, leading the government to reverse several terminations. However, new guidance has since expanded the reasons students can lose their legal status. Under the revised policy, a student's visa being revoked could now be grounds for immediate termination of their legal stay, even if they remain enrolled. In the past, students whose visas were revoked could typically remain until completing their course but could not leave and reenter. Students feel trapped The uncertainty has created deep distress among international students. A student at the University of Illinois, who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity, said he has kept a low profile since one of his classmates was forced to leave the country after their status was terminated. He had already booked a trip to visit his family in Asia this summer, but now fears he may not be allowed back into the United States. 'Right now," he said, "I'm afraid I might not be able to come back." With inputs from agencies