Trump Revokes Student Visas at Top California Universities
Dozens of international students at major California universities, including UCLA, Stanford, UC Berkeley, and UC San Diego, have had their visas abruptly revoked by the Trump administration, sparking widespread concern and confusion across campuses.
At UCLA, at least nine students were affected, according to a joint statement from faculty and student groups. The reason behind the cancellations remains unclear, and it is not known if any students were taken into custody.
UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep Khosla confirmed that five students lost their visas without prior notice, while a sixth was detained at the border, denied entry, and deported. “The federal government has not explained the reasons behind these terminations,” Khosla wrote in a campus-wide message.
UC Berkeley officials identified six revoked visas, including those of four current students and two recent graduates. UC Davis reported visa terminations for seven current students and five recent graduates. No federal agents have entered any campuses or detained students, university officials confirmed.
At Stanford, four students and two recent graduates also lost their visas. A UC-wide statement said the visa cancellations were linked to “SEVIS terminations”—the U.S. Student and Exchange Visitor Information System—but offered no further details.
USC, which has the highest number of international students in the state, declined to confirm whether its students were affected, citing privacy policies.
The Department of Homeland Security said visa actions were handled “case by case,” without confirming how many students or campuses were involved. Some of the revocations come amid accusations that pro-Palestinian students support Hamas, a group designated by the U.S. government as a terrorist organization. However, at UC San Diego, university officials stated that affected students were not involved in any protests.
Student leaders at UCLA expressed strong support for the international student community. “To every international student reading this: You belong here,” said Undergraduate Student Association Council President Adam Tfayli and International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad.
Other universities outside California, including Columbia, Cornell, Tufts, and Ohio State, have also reported student visa revocations in recent weeks, fueling broader concerns about student rights, immigration enforcement, and political expression on campus.
