The Trump administration has effectively canceled the legal status of hundreds of international students and recent graduates at campuses across the country since the beginning of April. Often, it has given neither the students nor their colleges notice, putting students’ ability to stay in the country legally in jeopardy without their knowing it. Campus administrators have been checking a government database to determine who among their students has had their status changed. In some cases, recent graduates who extended their stays for one year to work in the United States have also been affected.
In several high-profile cases, students have been detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. Other students have chosen to leave the United States. Some colleges have said they will offer legal and emotional support to their students and help them get in touch with officials in their home country. At least one has said it will help students complete their degrees abroad.
Several colleges have said they do not know how their students got caught in this web. Even when the student or college knows the reason, it is often for an infraction that would never have gotten the attention of the federal government under a different administration. Some students have protested the war in Gaza, while others have reportedly had driving infractions such as speeding tickets. South Sudanese students’ visas were revoked wholesale, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced.
A student’s visa is not the same as their immigration status. A visa guarantees entry into the country, while status allows students to stay for a certain amount of time. In the past, students whose visas expired could temporarily remain in the U.S. with legal status. There are over 1 million international students studying in the United States.
According to government data referenced by the American Immigration Lawyers Association, over 4,700 cancellations had been tallied as of April 10. That number was first reported by Science.
The Chronicle is tracking the cancellation of visas or legal status for international students and recent graduates through media reports and campus announcements. This page will be updated twice weekly. The total number of cancellations is almost certainly an undercount.
Last updated Monday, April 21, 2025
