WASHINGTON – Senator Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) joined a group of Senate Democrats in pressing the Trump Administration to undo unlawful student visa revocations and highlighted recent reversals of some terminations.
“These actions to end student status reflected an unannounced change in policy and were inconsistent with existing laws, regulations, policies, and agency guidance governing the maintenance and termination of student status—that is why we welcomed the news late last week that in response to litigation around the country, ICE has reversed these SEVIS terminations,” the Senators wrote in a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Acting Director Todd Lyons. “We now urge you to undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance and ensure that all future actions to end student status fully comply with the law.”
The letter comes amid reports that at least 4,736 students across the country – including over 100 in Arizona – had their visas revoked without notice or legal justification. By DHS’s own admission, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) does not have the legal authority to terminate a student’s immigration status simply by ending their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record.
Federal law requires agencies to provide students notice before terminating their status. But under the Trump Administration, many students learned of their status changes through their schools – or, in some cases, only after arrest by masked federal agents. Others were told to self-deport with no explanation or path to appeal.
“These reports suggest that students were not given notice of the termination of their status in a manner consistent with existing laws, regulations, and agency guidance,” the Senators continued.
The Senators ended their letter urging the administration to reconsider further visa revocations and adhere to federal law.
“Finally, we understand that you are contemplating additional actions to end student status. Any such changes must be consistent with applicable statutes, including requirements for notice with respect to changes that would deprive a student of their status and ability to live and study in the United States and place them at risk of detention.”
Read the full letter HERE.
4/30/25