University of California Officials Announce Revocation of Multiple Student Visas Following Palestinian Protests

April 7, 2025 TruthUSA

Students were instructed to leave the country without delay, although the exact number of those who have departed remains unknown. The State Department indicated that the number of visas revoked may increase.

On April 6, officials from the University of California’s Los Angeles and San Diego campuses announced that multiple international students had their visas revoked amid the federal crackdown on noncitizen pro-Palestinian demonstrators.

According to U.S. officials on Sunday, at least 12 students at UCLA and six at UC San Diego had their F-1 visas terminated, which cancelled their ability to study in the United States.

Visas were revoked for foreign students at the Berkeley, Santa Barbara, Davis, and Irvine campuses, with at least six affected at Berkeley, three in Santa Barbara, five in Irvine, and seven in Davis. It remains uncertain how many students have actually exited the country.

Last year, campuses across the university system permitted thousands of students to take part in pro-Palestinian demonstrations while Israel was engaged in conflict with Hamas in Gaza. Numerous demonstrations involved seizing public spaces on campus, with several students being arrested during encounters with local law enforcement.

In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order aimed at combating anti-Semitism on college campuses and threatened to revoke the visas of students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests last year.

On March 27, Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported that the government had revoked 300 international student visas.

At UCLA, chapters of two pro-Palestinian student organizations faced disciplinary measures in February after protesting at the residence of a University of California regent. The students were reportedly told to exit the country immediately, as stated in one report.

According to a State Department spokesperson, all visa applicants must demonstrate their eligibility for a visa to enter the United States.

“The United States maintains a zero-tolerance policy for noncitizens who violate U.S. laws,” the spokesperson communicated to The Epoch Times in an email on Monday. “Those who breach the law, including students, may face refusal of visas, revocation of visas, and/or deportation.”

The number of revocations could potentially increase as the State Department continues to review visa holders, added the spokesperson.

“As the secretary has indicated, the department consistently revokes visas daily to secure America’s borders and uphold community safety—and will persist in doing so,” stated the spokesperson. “Due to the ongoing nature of this process, the number of revocations may vary.”

According to the spokesperson, the department typically does not provide specific statistics regarding visa revocations.

Officials from the University of California system confirmed on Friday that they were aware of the recent visa terminations.

Students at the University of California–Irvine protest against the Israel–Gaza conflict on May 2, 2024. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) — Students at the University of California–Irvine protest against the Israel–Gaza conflict on May 2, 2024. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

“This is a changing situation, and we are actively monitoring and evaluating its effects on the UC community and those impacted,” UC President Michael Drake expressed in a statement. “The university will continue to adhere to all relevant state and federal regulations.”

UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk mentioned in a campus-wide email this past Sunday that six students from UCLA lost their visas, along with the revocation of visas for six alumni participating in an optional training program, as reported by the student newspaper The Daily Bruin.

Frenk noted that the termination notices indicated the students had breached the terms of their visas.

“Currently, UCLA is not aware of any federal law enforcement activity on campus relating to these terminations,” stated Frenk.

In San Diego, the six students whose visas were revoked were instructed to exit the country immediately, though no specific timeline was provided, according to UCSD Public Relations Council Director Matt Nagel, who informed the school’s newspaper on Monday.

A pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California–San Diego, on May 1, 2024. (Yang Jie/The Epoch Times) — A pro-Palestinian encampment at the University of California–San Diego, on May 1, 2024. Yang Jie/The Epoch Times

On Saturday, UC Davis Chancellor Gary May released a statement regarding the Northern California campus.

“At UC Davis, seven students and five recent graduates have had their F-1 visas terminated,” May noted. “This figure may fluctuate. Federal agents have not entered our campus, nor have they detained any community members.”

According to May, the Davis campus is offering resources to assist the affected students.

The chancellor also affirmed that university police will not collaborate with federal immigration enforcement and will not detain or arrest individuals for violating federal immigration regulations.

Source link