Federal immigration authorities have revoked or terminated the legal status of at least 68 international students at five Texas universities, raising alarms about due process and transparency as schools scramble to support affected students.
A wave of federal immigration status revocations has impacted 68 international students across five major Texas universities, including Texas Tech University, where three students have been removed from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database, effectively terminating their legal ability to remain in the U.S.
The SEVIS removals—more severe than visa revocations—also affected 27 students at the University of North Texas, 19 at the University of Texas at Dallas, four at Texas Woman’s University, and 15 at Texas A&M University. University officials have declined to name the affected students or detail the reasons behind the changes in status.
“These kinds of removals can happen suddenly, leaving students without time to respond or defend themselves,” said Robert Hoffman, an immigration lawyer with offices in Houston and Bryan. “It undermines basic principles of due process.”
Unlike visa cancellations, SEVIS removals end a student’s legal status immediately, affecting employment eligibility and potentially forcing dependents—like spouses and children—to leave the country as well.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed it has begun screening international students’ social media activity for what it classifies as “antisemitic” content, citing recent executive orders from President Donald Trump. The orders are aimed at addressing what the administration describes as a rise in antisemitism linked to campus protests, including pro-Palestinian demonstrations.
Legal experts and university staff say it remains unclear whether political speech or campus activism directly influences these removals. “There’s very little transparency,” said immigration attorney Phillip Rodriguez. “Students are being removed without clear explanation, and reinstatement options are limited and time-sensitive.”
A Texas Tech spokesperson described the situation as “evolving,” while other universities echoed similar sentiments, ensuring they communicated with affected students.
With Texas hosting one of the largest international student populations in the country, advocates warn that the chilling effect on student speech — especially among foreign nationals — may deepen.
