CLEVELAND — Nationwide, the federal government has revoked student visas over the past few weeks.
Now, we're seeing the impact right here in Northeast Ohio.
So far:
- Kent State University — 4 students.
- Cleveland State University — 2 students that we know of.
- Case Western Reserve University, where we’re learning — as of late Monday — 4 students had their visas revoked.
It was Friday when we first spoke to “Sam,” a Cleveland State student who asked to remain anonymous out of fear. His student visa was revoked without explanation, despite having a clean record.
“I'm just left alone because even my school, they don't know anything, they didn't even tell anything,” Sam said.
On Monday, Case Western Reserve University said four of its students had their visas revoked as well.
“I am seeing the, obviously, the emails that they're getting from the Department of Homeland Security,” said Stacy Cozart Martin, an attorney at MJB Immigration.
Cozart Martin explained that when students come to the US, they arrive on an F-1 visa and receive an I-20 form from the university. This document confirms their enrollment and provides program details.
“If they cancel just your visa, that means you couldn't travel. If they canceled just your status, that means you couldn't stay here. But it sounds like they're canceling both,” Cozart Martin said.
A student visa can be canceled for reasons such as criminal activity, failure to maintain status, or simply at the discretion of immigration authorities.
“So you could show up, and they could say, I don't like your blue shirt today, we're not going to issue the visa,” said Cozart Martin.
In many of the cases Cozart Martin is seeing, like Sam’s, students have no prior issues. And the effects of these revocations reach beyond just the students; they impact the universities, too.
“Let's say an Ohio student is paying in-state tuition, a foreign national student is not. So they're bringing in revenue for the university,” said Cozart Martin.
Based on public breakdowns of tuition and fees, international students pay an average of:
- $50,000 per year at Cleveland State University
- $40,000 per year at Kent State University
- Up to $80,000 per year at Case Western Reserve University
Additionally, Homeland Security does not notify universities when a student’s visa status changes. Schools are left to monitor visa databases themselves.
“I would imagine, as a university, you'd be very nervous, right? Because you're the one who's responsible to make sure that you're telling your students what they should and shouldn't be doing. If you don't even know that a student has been canceled immediately, they're starting to accrue unlawful presence, potentially that the student and the school don't even know that that's happening,” said Cozart Martin.
She advises students to stay cautious by always carrying their immigration documents, avoiding travel, and regularly checking their visa status.
“Even if you're doing everything right? Something could happen. So try to just be mindful of what you're doing,” said Cozart Martin.
When a visa is revoked, students have two options: leave the country or fight to stay.
“They can ask for a reinstatement, which is done through USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services), and you have to argue why it would be a good reason to reinstate your student status,” said Cozart Martin.
RELATED STORIES:
Government revokes visas for 3 Kent State University international scholars, KSU says
Cleveland State University student's visa revoked without explanation
