Uncertainty and Fear: The UCLA Student Deportation Cases and the Broader Impact on International Students
The recent wave of visa revocations and SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) terminations has triggered widespread fear and uncertainty among international students across the United States, including those at UCLA and other University of California campuses. These actions by the federal government have left students scrambling for answers and legal assistance, while universities attempt to navigate the complex situation and provide support to their affected communities.
The Initial Shock and Confusion
The first sign of trouble often came in the form of an email or notice from the university's international student services. Lisa, an international student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, described the message informing her that her SEVIS record was terminated as feeling "absurd and unreal." The Department of Homeland Security maintains the SEVIS database that tracks international students and scholars on F, M, and J visas. Once a SEVIS record is terminated, a student’s legal status becomes immediately invalid. They must either leave the US within the grace period, typically 15 days, or take steps to restore their status. Otherwise, they risk deportation and future visa restrictions.
Similar stories emerged from other universities, including UC Berkeley, UCLA, UC San Diego, Stanford, Ohio State, the University of Tennessee, the University of Kentucky, Minnesota State University, and the University of Oregon. An online self-reported data sheet indicated that students from 50 universities reported their visas were canceled around 4 April, with many noting that they had prior records, some limited to citations or non-criminal offenses.
The Common Denominator: Fingerprinting and Minor Offenses
As students connected online, a disturbing pattern emerged: many of those affected had been fingerprinted, often in connection with minor offenses. Lisa, for example, recalled receiving two tickets a year prior for speeding and failing to stop. To get the charges dismissed, she showed up in court, where she was fingerprinted.
Shenqi Cai, a California immigration attorney, noted that about 90% of the affected students had been fingerprinted. She explained that the criteria used to flag students can vary by state, with inconsistent thresholds. This means that a student may be arrested in one state, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be convicted, because the power to decide guilt or innocence lies with the judge.
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David, a Chinese student, was reported to police after a verbal argument with his partner. Despite the charge being dropped and the court ordering the destruction of his arrest record and biometric data, he later received a SEVIS termination notice. Bill, a recent graduate, was cited for driving with an expired license and fingerprinted during his court appearance. He too received a termination notice shortly after.
The Impact on Students' Lives
The sudden visa revocations and SEVIS terminations have had a devastating impact on students' lives, disrupting their studies, careers, and futures. Lisa, just a month away from graduation with a job offer and grad school acceptance, was unsure if she should even attend class. David, working under optional practical training, was immediately unable to continue working and faced the 15-day departure rule. Bill, in the midst of job-hunting, was left wondering if showing up for his court date would put him at risk of detention.
For many students, the financial burden of seeking legal assistance and potentially restarting their education in their home country is immense. As David said, "But we don’t come from wealth, and there’s not a lot they can do.”
Legal and Political Dimensions
Immigration attorney Brad Banias called the terminations a political move, not a legal one. He expressed outrage at the idea of students being forced to leave the country over minor infractions like parking tickets. This secret wave of revocation came a few days after the US secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced the revocation of 300 or more student visas. “We do it every day. Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” he said at a news conference on 27 March, referring to students he described as national security threats.
Three students from Southern California sued the Trump administration in Los Angeles federal court, saying their statuses were illegally terminated. The students filed their suits anonymously and did not identify their campuses. One person was on a postgraduate professional training visa after attending a Los Angeles campus, another student attended an Orange County university and the third student was enrolled at an Inland Empire campus.
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The Los Angeles student’s complaint says that his “only criminal history is a misdemeanor charge that was later dismissed” and that “he has no conviction for a crime of violence.” The Orange County student’s suit says that their legal violations were a “minor speeding ticket and a misdemeanor alcohol-related driving conviction” and that the State Department was aware of the alcohol charge before renewing their visa. The Inland Empire student’s complaint says their “only criminal history is a minor misdemeanor non-alcohol-related driving conviction.”
UCLA's Response and Student Activism
UCLA officials acknowledged the visa cancellations and SEVIS terminations, stating that they were due to violations of the terms of the individuals’ visa programs. UCLA announced 12 visa cancellations the next day. During a routine audit of SEVIS records, UCLA officials learned that the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) had terminated the SEVIS status of six current students. SEVP also terminated the status of six former students currently participating in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. The university emphasized its commitment to supporting international students and providing resources such as the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars and counseling services.
However, some faculty members and student activists criticized the university's response as insufficient. The school's Task Force on Anti-Palestinian, Anti- Arab, and Anti-Muslim Racism sent a letter to UCLA leadership urging them to take a more aggressive stance, including issuing a public statement of support, ensuring continued enrollment for affected students, providing legal resources, and challenging the Department of Homeland Security.
Concerns over international students have been growing at UCLA since March, when immigration arrests of students began at Columbia and other universities. UCLA issued a March 19 travel advisory to foreign students of “evolving federal policies and global travel conditions” that could affect spring break plans.
About 150 community members rallied Thursday at UCLA in front of Murphy Hall, which houses the chancellor’s office. They held signs reading “Hands off our students” as well as pro-Palestinian posters. “No ICE, no KKK, no fascist USA,” students chanted.
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Freedom of Speech and Political Activism
The visa revocations have also raised concerns about freedom of speech and political activism among international students. Trump issued a January executive order that threatened to revoke the visas of students who participated in pro-Palestine protests.
An international graduate student at another UC - he does not want to name his campus in fear of not passing his dissertation - is working on a research project about the interplay of international politics and media. His research paper includes a section on human rights violations and genocide. Initially, he included coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.
One student newspaper is challenging the Trump administration’s policies regarding noncitizen students. According to a letter from the editors, far fewer international students are willing to speak to The Daily, and those who do request anonymity.
The Broader Context: Immigration Enforcement and Data
The visa revocations and SEVIS terminations are part of a broader trend of increased immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. According to data from the government immigration enforcement data based at UC Berkeley Law School in collaboration with UCLA’s Center for Immigration Law and Policy (CILP), there have been 94,906 immigration arrests from inauguration through June 11 compared to 45,558 such arrests in the same period in 2024.
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