In a scene familiar to many schools in the University of California (UC) system, students at UC Riverside (UCR) received an email on April 7, 2025 from Chancellor Kim A. Wilcox which announced that “the federal government terminated the eligibility of six student visas for members of the UC Riverside community.” Across the state of California’s UC system, California State University (CSU) system and community colleges, more than 80 current and former students have been reported to have their F-1 visas terminated.
On April 8, 2025, a statement was released by the UC Office of the President sharing that they are aware of the increased terminations of student visas, and that they are currently “aware of approximately 50 students and recent graduates across several UC campuses who have been impacted.” They share that “The government has not coordinated with UC leaders on their decisions or provided advance notice to us, but has indicated in government databases that the terminations were due to violations of the terms of the individuals’ visa programs.”
An article from Inside Higher Ed tracks the visa revocations of colleges and universities across the nation. As of 9:00 p.m. EDT on April 12, over 170 colleges and universities across the nation have identified 965 students and recent graduates who have had their legal status changed by the nation. According to the article, the database was originally published on April 8, and will be updated at least twice a day.
As of Fall of 2024, UCR reported having 1,749 international students on tuition basis attending the university. This is 6.6 percent of the school population. Currently, the visas at UCR which have been terminated include two for current students and four for recent graduates.
Michelle Wang, the International Student Director at the Associated Students of UCR (ASUCR) explained that they were informed of the terminated visas on April 7, 2025. Following this communication, she convened with ASUCR President, Abby Choy, to find more information on any developments regarding the situation. International Student Director Wang recommends that “international students be well-acquainted with accessible on-campus resources, such as the UCR International Affairs Office (IAO), UCR Counseling and Psychological Service (CAPS), and the UC Police Department (UCPD).”
She emphasizes the importance of UCR’s International Affairs Office which consists of “Designated School Officials (DSOs), who can provide guidance on maintaining valid student and immigration status, work authorization, travel advice and more. Their website also consists of general immigration information that international students may find helpful. It is important for international students to know what immigration documents they must have at all times and what rights they have while in the United States.”
International Student Director Wang advises that “UCR international students being affected by [visa terminations] should immediately contact their Designated School Official, the person who is listed on their Form I-20, or someone from the UCR International Students Staff. If necessary, these students should also contact an immigration attorney for further legal guidance on the next steps.”
As of publication, UCR’s International Affairs Office has not responded to The Highlander’s request for a statement regarding the termination of student visas.
The identities of the students affected by the visa terminations at UCR have not been released to the public due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The email sent from the office of the chancellor details, “UCR remains committed to international students and will continue to support them in every way possible, consistent with the law. This includes protecting their privacy. UCR does not release confidential student information, including immigration status, unless required by law.”
At the end of the email, a list of resources is listed to the community. This includes UCR services for international students and scholars, UC FAQs on possible federal immigration enforcement actions on UC property, UC “Know your Rights” printable cards, UC Immigrant Legal Services and much more.
In an article published by NBC News, the news group states that “authorities had revoked the visas of international students in at least 29 states — with officials largely citing a seldom-used 1952 foreign policy statute to take aim at their activism. Others’ visas have been terminated seemingly for past charges like DUIs.” The reason behind the terminations they claim, backed up by immigration attorneys and policy experts, is due to “the Trump administration’s larger immigration crackdown and deportation machine … with immigrants of all statuses being scrutinized.”
UC Los Angeles’ (UCLA) Daily Bruin shared in their report that “[Undergraduate Students Association Council] International Student Representative Syed Tamim Ahmad said the UCLA Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars – which provides visa services and support – believes the terminations were related to arrests or misdemeanor convictions.”
