45 California University Student Visas Revoked By Trump Administration

Forty-five students and recent alumni from universities across California saw their visas be revoked by the Trump administration over the weekend, with the visa cancellations in California following the growing nationwide trend of student visa revocation.

According to the affected universities, the total number of recent visa revocations are:

• University of California – Los Angeles (UCLA) : 6 current students, 6 recent graduates
• UC San Diego: 5 current students, 1 current student “detained and deported at border”
• UC Davis: 7 current students, 5 recent graduates
• UC Santa Cruz – 3 current students
• UC Berkeley – 4 current students, 2 recent graduates
• Stanford University – 4 current students, 2 recent graduates

While the reasoning behind all the visa revocations isn’t known, it is believed that the administration targeted international students who either played a major role in anti-Israel campus protests events, or who committed crimes in the country while on their visa. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told press in March that at least 300 visas have been revoked, primarily over pro-Palestinian protests.

Recent high profile student deportations, including Mahmoud Khalil at Columbia University in New York and Rumeysa Ozturk at Tufts University in Massachusetts, lead credence to those likely reasonings, with federal authorities also likely opting for quieter means in removing international students.

The recent round of revocations in California specifically targeted the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). SEVIS, which is used by the Department of Homeland Security, maintains information on all international student and exchange students. If the record is terminated, those students no longer have visa status and need to be removed. With the over three dozens students in California now without a SEVIS and visa status, they can now be removed from the country.

All affected California universities responded to the student visa revocations over the weekend, with statements ranging from being simple fact confirmations to outrage.

“The University of California is aware that international students across several of our campuses have been impacted by recent SEVIS terminations,” said the UC Office of the President on Friday. “This is a fluid situation, and we continue to monitor and assess its implications for the UC community and the people affected. We are committed to doing what we can to support all members of our community as they exercise their rights under the law. In doing that, the University will continue to follow all applicable state and federal laws.”

“Campus officials, and the University of California, are committed to doing what they can to support all members of our community as they exercise their rights under the law,” stated UC Berkeley. “In doing so, the university will continue to follow all applicable state and federal laws.”

Others stressed that, unlike the Columbia and Tufts incidents, that no ICE or other federal law enforcement was part of the visa revocations.

“We recognize that these actions can bring feelings of tremendous uncertainty and anxiety to our community,” added UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk. “We want our immigrant and international UCLA students, staff and faculty to know we support your ability to work, learn, teach and thrive here. At this time, UCLA is not aware of any federal law enforcement activity on campus related to these terminations.”

Visas revoked

Many at the affected universities also called on University administrators and even Governor Gavin Newsom to protect international students and stop deportations.

Hannah Appel, a spokesperson for Faculty for Justice in Palestine at UCLA, condemned the revocations in a written statement and called on UCLA administrators and California Gov. Gavin Newsom to protect international students.

“We condemn the unlawful revocations of student visas at colleges and universities in California and across the country,” said UCLA Professor and spokesperson for Faculty for Justice in Palestine. “We demand university leaders and Governor Newsom act now to defend the right of students to learn, regardless of where they were born.”

However, state and university response against the visa revocations will likely be minimal. Since his inauguration in January, President Trump has vowed to revoke visas of international students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests on campuses in 2024. In later January, he even signed an executive order to that effect, targeting antisemitic violence and behavior on campuses.

While some of the hundreds of students arrested in the California protests last year saw their degrees withdrawn, were suspended, or faced minor legal action, none faced the possibility of being deported. This all radically changed last month when Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that visa revocations would indeed be happening more and more.

“I would argue that the – what I would add to it is what we have seen on campuses across the country where students literally cannot go to school, you cannot – buildings are being taken over, activities going on – this is clearly an organized movement,” said Rubio last month. “And if you are in this country on a student visa and are a participant in those movements, we have a right to deny your visa.  I think it would make sense to deny your visa.  We’re going to err on the side of caution.  We are not going to be importing activists into the United States.  They’re here to study.  They’re here to go to class.  They’re not here to lead activist movements that are disruptive and undermine our universities.  I think it’s lunacy to continue to allow that.

“But ultimately it’s a visa.  Judges don’t issue student visas.  There is no right to a student visa.  We can cancel a student visa under the law just the same way that we can deny a student visa under the law.  And we will do so in cases we find appropriate.”

As of Monday, the affected Universities are shown to be complying with their now former students having their visas revoked, while at the same time, have offered external legal assistance to affected students. More visa revocations are also expected, as many campuses where there were protest arrests last year in California have not been the subject to student visa revocations so far.