Students react to visa revocations at UTRGV

EDINBURG, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Nine international students at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) have had their student visas revoked and have been ordered to leave the United States.

Students say they are in shock visas were revoked at their campus and also all pointed out they know at least one or two international students who are worried about what will happen next.

More than a hundred students across Texas had their visa revoked or terminated from the student and exchange visitor information system. Students like Sebastian Sanchez worry more visas could be revoked in the near future.

“Makes me sad because they are here to get a higher education, which a lot of people can see the good in and I see the good in it and that is why I am going here, so to have that privilege broke away its upsetting," Sanchez said.

Sanchez and others like Cesario Silva worry as many university students at UTRGV come from other countries.

“A lot of student athletes are foreign exchange," Silva said. "I have friends who are in the soccer team and in the tennis team that are not from the united states, so it would be horrible to see them that one day disappear out of nowhere without knowing why.”

Student Daniel Vera says he knows one international student who feared he was one of the nine who got their visa revoked.

“He told me that he immediately woke up that morning and checked his email to see if it was him, so I can definitely see how it can scare some people that are here," Vera said. "I don’t know it would be kind of crazy to wake up and be like oh man I got to leave now because all of a sudden this happened.”

In a statement UTRGV said, “UTRGV has been notified that the records of nine international students have been terminated in SEVIS by federal authorities. We have alerted the affected students and are committed to providing guidance within the parameters of law.”

Students say they want answers over how the students that got their visas revoked were chosen.

“They are not telling the criteria, so I think that is what should be happening next to find out how they are picking and choosing," Vera said.

However, all this comes after the Department of Homeland Security released a statement Wednesday saying it would begin screening international students’ social media to crack down on pro-Palestine protests on college campuses.

Immigration Attorney Ricardo Ramirez says students whose student visa got revoke should check their immigration status immediately.

“I would check my status daily the school, right you go to UTRGV, or whatever school you go to has access to a system that's run by immigration for the school, specifically that shows the status of each foreign student so the students can check to make sure that they still have status," Ramirez said.

He also advises for them to always carry their immigration documents. Students like Sanchez believe more should be done.

“I truly believe the university has the power to invoke at least some discussion in this," Sanchez said. "I don't know if they could do anything outright but do know that they could sway things in one way or another if they really try.”

The university says the revocation of visas is a federal issue and that is not directly related to UTRGV.