50% Of Students Facing Termination in US Are Indian Nationals
A new policy brief by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), released on April 17, reveals that nearly half of all recent U.S. student visa revocations or SEVIS terminations have involved Indian nationals.
Washington, D.C: A new policy brief by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), released on April 17, reveals that nearly half of all recent U.S. student visa revocations or SEVIS terminations have involved Indian nationals. The association has raised serious concerns about what it calls an “arbitrary” and “opaque” enforcement campaign targeting international students.
Table of Contents
Based on 327 individual reports, AILA found that 50% of affected students were from India, followed by 14% from China, with others from South Korea, Nepal, and Bangladesh. The majority of these students were on F-1 visas and many had already graduated, working in the U.S. under Optional Practical Training (OPT).
AI-Based “Catch and Revoke” Program Under Scrutiny
According to the report, the visa revocations appear linked to a new initiative called “Catch and Revoke,” reportedly run by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The program allegedly uses artificial intelligence tools to monitor students’ social media activity and flags individuals based on interactions with law enforcement—even in cases where no charges or convictions occurred.
The brief noted that ICE has terminated 4,736 SEVIS records since January 20, 2025, most involving F-1 visa holders. Alarmingly, 57% of the affected students only received revocation notices via email, often from consulates, while 83% learned about SEVIS terminations through their universities. In 7% of cases, students said they received no official notification at all.
Minor Police Encounters and Misunderstandings Cited
The policy brief highlighted that 86% of the impacted students had some level of police interaction, but in 33% of those cases, they were either never charged or had charges dismissed. Incidents ranged from routine traffic stops to students contacting police as victims, including survivors of domestic violence.
Political and Diplomatic Reactions
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh raised the issue on social media platform X, urging India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar to take up the matter with U.S. authorities. “The reasons for the cancellations are inconsistent and unclear. This is causing growing fear and anxiety among students,” he posted.
In response, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian government is actively investigating the issue. “Our embassy and consulates are in touch with affected students to offer support,” he confirmed during a press briefing on Thursday.
What Is SEVIS?
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) is an online tracking system used by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to monitor international students and exchange visitors. It helps ensure compliance with visa regulations by maintaining updated records on students’ academic status and immigration details.
