Five international students at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst have had their visas canceled and been expelled from their programs due to actions taken by the federal government, as stated in an email distributed to the university community late Friday.
The UMass Chancellor, Javier Reyes, stated that the institution was not informed by the federal authorities regarding the termination of the legal standing for these five students. The university first learned about this issue through routine screenings conducted via the SEVIS database managed by ICE's Student and Exchange Visitor Program.
"I want to emphasize the critical role our international community plays in enhancing the vibrancy of our campus and to reassure each international student and scholar at UMass of our steadfast support as we face this new landscape," Reyes stated.
Reyes states that the school is endeavoring to link up these unidentified students with various resources both on campus and beyond. This includes "individual contact initiated by leaders from the Office of the Provost, Student Affairs and Campus Life, as well as the Office of Global Affairs."
The announcement from UMass was made following the detention of a Tufts University doctoral student by immigration authorities. As she strolled down the street, In the Boston suburbs of Somerville on March 25.
A Massachusetts judge has transferred the legal case of the imprisoned Turkish student from Tufts University to Vermont.
Reyes mentioned that the revocations at UMass and Tufts are concerning since some of the reported incidents involve very minor offenses like off-campus traffic violations. Additionally, he pointed out that under past administrations, student statuses weren’t instantly rescinded following visa cancellations. However, according to Reyes, the current situation under the Trump administration sees some student statuses being withdrawn merely hours after their visas have been terminated.
Reyes states that the sole method for informing international students about the revocation of their visas is via the email address they utilized when applying for their F-1 or another type of non-immigrant visa.
“Higher education in the United States attracts students from all corners of the globe and has consistently been the pride of the world,” Reyes stated. “Similar to countless others, I arrived in the U.S. via the student visa program with the aim to improve myself, uplift my community, and contribute positively to this nation that embraced me as an academic scholar.”
Reyes also mentioned that UMass is collaborating closely with the governor’s office, the attorney general, and legislators "to make sure we stay faithful to our mission and maintain our legacy as a global campus."
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