At least 1200* international students and recent graduates have had their visas revoked, including 40 at Northeastern University in Boston, with no evidence that the actions were tied to political advocacy or free speech, according Inside Higher Ed, which reports on the higher ed community, and the Huntington News, which covers Northeastern.
The students come from more than 180* colleges and universities, according to Inside Higher Ed.
A student volunteer group which is tracking anonymous cases on different platforms shared internal data with the Global Observer that out of 178 valid survey submissions, 99 individuals have experienced SEVIS termination. Of those, 93% had previously been fingerprinted by law enforcement —but at least some of the cases were pending, dismissed or resolved without conviction.
According to a notification by Northeastern’s Office of Global Services (OGS), if a student’s SEVIS record is terminated, they no longer have valid F-1 student status. OGS suggests that students in this situation talk to an immigration lawyer right away to understand if they can legally stay in the U.S. “Previously, visa revocations did not directly impact a student’s SEVIS record. Now, some students with visa revocations are also having their SEVIS record terminated.”
The revocations have caused anxiety and panic among international students, who see the actions as arbitrary and petty. A Northeastern University graduate student, who spoke to the Global Observer on the condition of anonymity, voiced frustration over the recent developments:
“This is not how ordinary students should be treated — it’s simply unfair,” the student said. “If I’m not welcome here, I will find another place that will welcome me.”
A Ph.D. student from a New York’s university, who requested anonymity, received an email notice of termination last week. “I was involved in a car accident in September last year and was charged with a misdemeanor. I haven’t even been convicted. My jury trial is scheduled for soon,” the student said. “But they terminated my SEVIS without giving any specific reason.”
After receiving the notice, the student immediately contacted their university’s international office, department chair and dean, all of whom expressed support. “They didn’t know exactly how to fix it either — it’s such a new situation — but they told me to talk to a lawyer right away,” the student said.
“From what I’ve seen, even people whose cases were dismissed or resolved years ago are being affected. If you’ve ever been fingerprinted in court in the last decade, it seems you’re at risk,” the student added.
The number of affected students continues to grow. Another Inside Higher Ed report notes that, the exact number of revoked visas remains unclear and that the process is still ongoing. A spokesperson from the State Department confirmed the department revokes visas every day and will continue to do so.
The Global Observer will continue to follow this developing story. If you have any information or comments, please contact [email protected]
(*Data as of April 15, 2025)
