Nearly half of all international students affected by recent student visa revocations in the United States were Indian nationals, according to a policy brief issued by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA).
The report, dated 17 April, has drawn attention to what the association has called an “arbitrary” and “opaque” crackdown by American authorities.
The findings, based on 327 individual reports, indicated that 50 per cent of impacted students hailed from India, with 14 per cent from China. Students from South Korea, Nepal and Bangladesh were also affected.
The initiative, referred to as “Catch and Revoke”, reportedly employs artificial intelligence to scan social media accounts and digital interactions of student visa holders.
The enforcement, allegedly spearheaded by the US Department of State and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has led to sudden visa terminations—often without students being charged with or convicted of any offences.
The Ministry of External Affairs has acknowledged the matter.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to media queries during a press briefing on Thursday, stated: “We are aware that several Indian students have been contacted by the US Government regarding their F-1 visa status. We are investigating the matter, and our embassy and consulate are in touch with the students to offer support.”
The AILA brief raised alarms over procedural opacity and inconsistent rationale behind the visa cancellations.
“Many of the affected students were on Optional Practical Training (OPT), having already graduated and employed in the US,” the report noted. These students are particularly vulnerable, as they are unable to resume employment immediately after the termination of their SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records.
A verified source cited in the brief claimed that since 20 January 2025, ICE has terminated 4,736 SEVIS records, most of them pertaining to F-1 visa holders.
The report also highlighted significant lapses in communication: while 57 per cent of students received an official revocation notice—mainly via email—83 per cent only learnt of SEVIS termination through their universities. An additional 7 per cent reported receiving no communication whatsoever.
Of the 327 cases analysed, 86 per cent of students had some form of police interaction, but 33 per cent of those were never prosecuted or had charges dropped. These interactions ranged from minor traffic infractions to more serious matters. The report also detailed incidents where students who were victims of domestic violence and had contacted police for assistance were subsequently penalised with visa issues.
During the 2023–24 academic year, Indian nationals comprised the largest group of international students in the United States. According to the Open Doors data, 3,31,602 of the 11,26,690 international students in the country were from India, making up nearly 29 per cent of the total.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh expressed concern over the rising trend, urging official intervention.
“The press statement released by the American Immigration Lawyers Association yesterday is a matter of concern for India. Of the 327 student visa cancellations the organisation has gathered so far, 50% are Indian students. The reasons for the cancellations are inconsistent and unclear. This is causing growing fear and anxiety among students. Will External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar take note of this issue and raise it with his American counterpart?” he posted on X.
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