In a sweeping escalation of its immigration enforcement agenda, the Trump administration has revoked the visas of more than 965 international students and recent graduates, targeting college campuses across the country. The revocations appear to disproportionately impact students engaged in political activism—particularly those expressing pro-Palestinian views—as well as others flagged for minor legal infractions.
The crackdown has sent shockwaves through the higher education community, with universities scrambling to understand the scope of the enforcement and provide support for affected students. Legal experts and civil rights advocates have raised concerns that the moves may be politically motivated and violate long-standing norms protecting freedom of expression on campus.
At Montana State University (MSU), three international students had their F-1 visas suddenly revoked, according to a letter from university President Waded Cruzado obtained by the Montana Free Press. The university discovered the revocations during a routine review of its more than 400 international students and has not received an explanation from federal authorities.
“Federal laws, and our own campus policies, protect student privacy,” Cruzado wrote in a message to the MSU community. University officials have not disclosed the students’ identities or the reasons for the revocations.
Similar incidents are playing out elsewhere. At least 21 students across the State University of New York (SUNY) system have experienced changes to their visa status, including five at Binghamton University and 11 at Stony Brook. A SUNY spokesperson told Pipe Dream, Binghamton’s student newspaper, that the system is “monitoring this evolving situation” and working to connect students with legal support.
Federal agencies have intensified pressure on universities in recent months, not only through visa actions but also by threatening to withhold massive amounts of funding. Columbia University recently agreed to a series of federal demands—including increased campus policing and restrictions on protests—after facing the potential loss of $400 million in federal grants and contracts.
“No one has a right to a visa. These are things that we decide,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in late March.
With little transparency and few avenues for appeal, universities and students alike are left in a state of uncertainty—facing the growing reality that lawful presence and academic opportunity in the U.S. may now hinge on political expression.
