The Trump administration revoked the visas of dozens of international students in the St. Louis region in April despite little explanation for the sudden change in immigration status.
The cancellation of the students’ visas comes as part of the administration’s crackdown on international students who allegedly participated in pro-Palestinian campus protests last year. However, it’s unclear whether the impacted students in the St. Louis area participated in any demonstrations.
According to Webster University officials, 18 international students at its St. Louis campus and six students at its San Antonio campus had their visas revoked on April 11. Officials did not confirm why some students’ visas were revoked but noted that their Student Exchange Visitor Information System records were no longer available through the Department of Homeland Security.
“This is a rapidly evolving situation that is impacting colleges and universities across the country,” said Patrick Giblin, public relations director at Webster University. “We are keeping a close eye on developments and working with impacted students to explore their options.”
Webster University has campuses in Austria, China, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Uzbekistan, Georgia and Greece.
As of fall 2024, there were 2,646 international students enrolled at the St. Louis Webster University campus and 927 international students at the San Antonio campus. Over 3,000 of the university’s international students are in graduate programs.
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville said in a statement that as of April 4, three students currently enrolled in undergraduate programs and six former graduate students enrolled in the optional practical training program had their visas revoked.
SIUE shared guidance with international students to carry copies of their immigration documents at all times and proof of enrollment at the university. They also encouraged students to monitor their immigration status closely via email or an online portal since the university was not directly notified of the changes.
SIUE has 860 international students this spring.
The Daily Egyptian, the student newspaper at Southern University of Illinois Carbondale, reported that one international student's visa was revoked earlier this month.
A spokesperson for the university declined to confirm the report but said the school is actively communicating with its international students on a “regular basis” and encouraging students to carry their immigration paperwork with them at all times.
874 international students were enrolled at SIU Carbondale in the fall.
International students typically pay out-of-state tuition to attend American universities, providing a financial lifeline to schools struggling with decreased enrollment.
In the fall, St. Louis University said it needed to cut $20 million in expenses after the school saw a sharp drop in enrollment of international students.
STLPR would like to hear from you. If you are an international student living in the St. Louis area and have had your student visa recently revoked, please email ahenderson@stlpublicradio.org.
