3 Syracuse University students lose visas under Trump administration
The university did not receive an explanation about why these students were selected, according to the release. Daily Orange File Photo
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UPDATE: This story was updated at 11:33 a.m. on April 23, 2025.
President Donald Trump’s administration revoked the visas of three international students at Syracuse University, according to a Wednesday news release.
SU officials said the university did not receive an explanation about why these students’ visas were revoked.
“The university was not notified in advance, nor did it share any student information with the government prior to the students receiving notice,” SU said in the release.
Due to university privacy policies, SU declined to identify the three students or their nationalities. Two of the three students are set to graduate on time, and the university is working to ensure the third student can continue their studies. SU’s Center for International Services, Office of Academic Affairs and the students’ academic programs are collaborating to support the affected students, according to the release.
SU said its administrators are in communication with elected officials and government leaders, but declined to say whether they had contacted the State Department or the Trump administration, syracuse.com reported on Tuesday.
International students make up about 20% of the university’s student body, according to SU’s international admissions website, with more than 4,000 international students enrolled.
According to data compiled by Inside Higher Ed, 17 international students at Cornell University and five at Binghamton University have had their visas revoked as of Tuesday.
Nationally, more than 1,700 international students and recent graduates have had their student visas revoked or legal status changed at over 265 colleges and universities, the data shows.
Many of these revoked student visas come as a result of federal officials removing students’ names from the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System. The Department of State is using the database to monitor international students in the interest of national security, Inside Higher Ed reported.
Impacted students and their legal advisors argue that removing individuals from SEVIS is not legal grounds to revoke student visas, Inside Higher Ed reported. In a court filing in Michigan Monday, a U.S. attorney said SEVIS is a simple database and does not determine the legality of international students at American institutions.
The university said it’s directly communicating with international students, faculty and staff, according to the statement, and urges anyone with concerns to reach out to Juan Tavares, director of the Center for International Services, at jtavares@syr.edu or (315) 443-5833.
This post will be updated with additional reporting.
