GUWAHATI: Several Indian students in the United States have been instructed to leave the country after the U.S. Department of State revoked their F-1 student visas, citing involvement in campus activism and online activity deemed “anti-national.”
The sweeping crackdown, led by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has impacted students not only for participating in protests but also for engaging with social media content critical of U.S. policies.
Among the 1.1 million international students in the U.S. for the 2023-24 academic year, Indian students make up a significant portion of 331,000 enrolled. Reports indicate that they are among those affected by the visa revocations, which have been carried out under the State Department’s intensified screening efforts. Using an AI-powered tool known as “Catch and Revoke,” U.S. authorities identify and cancel visas of students who support Hamas or other terrorist organizations, leading to immediate visa cancellations.
Furthermore, U.S. consular officials are now closely examining new F (academic), M (vocational), and J (exchange) visa applications, rejecting those linked to similar activities. Affected students have received emails from the Bureau of Consular Affairs Visa Office notifying them of the revocation under Section 221(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. These notices instruct students to self-deport using the CBP Home App, first launched during the Trump administration in March 2020, warning that remaining in the U.S. without legal status could result in fines, detention, or deportation.
Further, students have been cautioned that deportation could occur abruptly and that they may not necessarily be sent back to India, raising concerns among those impacted. The email also instructs students to present their passports to the issuing U.S. embassy or consulate for the physical cancellation of their visas. Future travel to the U.S. would require a fresh visa application, with no guarantee of approval.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio reinforced the government’s position, stating that a U.S. visa is “not a birthright” and that any individual violating the terms of their stay must leave.
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), responsible for overseeing the Student Exchange Visitor Program, has been alerted to manage removal proceedings and may notify affected students’ academic institutions.
