Nearly 50% Of U.S. Student Visa Cancellations Involve Indian Students: AILA

A new report issued by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has unearthed a rising trend among foreign students in America: cancelled visas. Indian students are disproportionately targeted, with approximately 50% of reported incidents.

According to AILA’s policy brief, information from students, lawyers, and university staff were used to collect 327 incidents of closed SEVIS records or revoked visas. The grounds for the cancellations have caused alarm, with most students being reported after minor interactions with the police, including parking tickets or small speeding offenses.

Impact on students

Students are impacted by the cancellations, particularly those enrolled in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program. They are unable to resume employment right away if their SEVIS record is terminated, and it is particularly challenging for graduates to regain their status. Many kids now have few options and unclear futures as a result of this.

In a similar incident, a broad action involving removals from a federal immigration database has changed the legal status of at least 118 international students at institutions around Texas. The students heard that their visas were cancelled or their immigration status was closed in SEVIS.

SEVIS termination has severe consequences, such as loss of employment status and inconvenience for dependents. The AILA report and recent events in Texas have generated a climate of fear regarding the impact of cancellation of visa on foreign students and the US education system at large. As the largest country of origin of foreign students in the US, India's presence is especially significant for institutions and students alike.