Almost 40 international students in the US recently had their visas suddenly taken away.
Experts and advocates say the US government made this decision based on small issues like traffic offences.
People believe this is part of a bigger plan by Donald Trump’s administration to control immigration and how universities handle it.
The decision has shocked many students and left them scared and unsure about what will happen next.
One of the students affected from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, is Lisa said she was just a month away from graduation when she got an unexpected email, according to The Guardian UK.
“ISS is writing to inform you that your SEVIS record was terminated,” the email said. SEVIS stands for the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, which is managed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
At first, Lisa thought the email was fake. But after checking online and reading student forums, she found out she was now “out of status,” just like many other international students.
The reason? A minor traffic issue from the year before. She got two tickets and was fingerprinted when she went to court.
When a student’s SEVIS record is terminated, they usually have only 15 days to leave the US If they stay longer, they risk being deported or banned from coming back.
Other students in schools like Stanford, UCLA, UC San Diego, Ohio State, and the University of Oregon are also affected, says The Guardian UK.
Many of them have similar stories. They got small traffic tickets, went to court, were fingerprinted, and had no idea their visa status would be affected.
Students made a spreadsheet online and shared stories from over 50 universities.
Even though many students did not commit any crimes—some charges were even dropped—they were still labeled as having “criminal records” in their SEVIS termination letters.
Most of the terminations happened on April 4. This happened shortly after U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a public statement on March 27.
He said many student visas would be canceled.
“Every time I find one of these lunatics, I take away their visas,” Rubio said. He claimed it was for national security.
But immigration lawyers say this kind of large action is not normal.
“Students weren’t given any chance to explain their situation,” said Shenqi Cai, a lawyer from Lashine Law in California.
“They were terminated under one broad directive, seemingly triggered by automated screenings that don’t account for state-by-state differences in legal definitions.”
Cai also said about 90% of the affected students had been fingerprinted before, even though the charges were small or dropped.
“Fingerprinting alone should not equate to a criminal record,” she explained.
The impact on students is serious.
David, a Chinese student working in the U.S. under Optional Practical Training (OPT), lost his job rights overnight. His employer is trying to send him to Canada, but he has just 15 days to leave the U.S., which is very hard.
Another student, Bill, was ticketed for driving with an expired license. His case is still in court. But now he is stuck—he must attend court, but if he stays, he could be detained.
Most schools have only told students to contact immigration lawyers. These lawyers may give discounted help, but the cost is still high.
“The dust of history falls on me, and it becomes a mountain,” said Bill.
As panic grew, more than 300 students joined an emergency Zoom call with a federal immigration lawyer, Brad Banias.
“It’s not a legal move, it’s a political one,” Banias told them. “They’re criminalizing parking tickets.”
Lisa’s future is now unclear. She might not graduate, and her job and graduate school plans are at risk.
“Worst case, I don’t graduate. I go home and start college again. Four more years. And then what?” she said.
This sudden visa crackdown has worried many people. It doesn’t just affect students—it shows that the Trump administration may be increasing its focus on immigration and universities.
“This isn’t just about students,” Banias said. “It’s about the message the government is sending: that no one is safe.”
