Since the Trump administration’s initial moves, the number of international students affected by visa revocations at Colorado universities has almost doubled.
At least 16 Fort Collins campus students have had their visas cancelled in recent weeks, according to Colorado State University.
According to the University of Colorado, 22 other students from their system have also had their visas revoked.
Following the White House’s announcement of its plans to expulse foreign nationals who either posed a safety risk to citizens, had violent criminal histories, or took part in campus protests deemed to be antisemitic or pro-Palestinian, the visas were revoked.
One of the main reasons that President Trump won the election was because of his campaign promises to address immigration and other concerns.
According to Colorado State campus student Ella Smith, “We are really worried here at our university, because these students are vital,” she added.
Smith has openly voiced her displeasure with the Trump administration’s policies and Colorado State University’s unwillingness to disobey White House directives.
“Students here feel scared. They feel blindsided,” Smith stated. “They are terrified because they know at any time they can get an email and their visas are revoked.”
Many of the international students whose visas have been revoked have contacted Smith. According to her, international students from Middle Eastern nations make up the majority of those affected.
“So, we are seeing them having a hard time continuing their education because the time zones,” Smith stated.
According to immigration lawyer Anna Stepanova, the federal government has the authority to prosecute individuals on F1 student visas for comparatively minor infractions.
“First, a visa may be revoked based on a criminal record of any sort,” Stepanova stated.
But according to Stepanova, the federal government is not legally permitted to cancel a visa for a small infraction, such as a non-ticketed run-in with the law.
“Just any encounter with law enforcement does not give the government the basis to terminate someone’s status,” Stepanova stated.
In recent months, some students have persisted in their campus protests. Other CSU students who wanted to avoid being on video at the time were heard expressing support for the White House’s activities and deportations.
Smith persisted in expressing her opinion that CSU is not doing enough to safeguard deportation-threatened international students.
“The university, we feel, is not fighting for students,” Smith stated.
“Universities are certified by the government to administer the F-1 program on their campus, and they have some requirements to maintain their certification,” Stepanova stated. “I’s not that their hands are tied, but they are not lawyers and do not represent the government…but there are some obligations they have to the government.”
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According to a statement, the University of Colorado is unable to assist students after their visas have been cancelled.
Nonetheless, they stated that they are assisting the affected students in leaving their local housing in a proper manner and guaranteeing that they may finish their coursework for the semester from their new location.
