The F-1 visas of 18 students at Florida International University (FIU) have been revoked, following a new agreement between the university and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to train campus police to enforce immigration laws.
Between March 25 and April 10, the visas of 18 students were abruptly terminated, according to a university spokesperson. Of those impacted, 11 are current students and seven are recent graduates.
While the exact reasons behind the revocation of the students’ visas remain unclear, FIU confirmed on Friday that it had enrolled in the 287(g) program, a federal initiative that allows campus police to stop, question, and even detain individuals suspected of being in the U.S. illegally.
As of 2024, Florida International University (FIU) reports hosting nearly 3,800 international students from over 140 countries, comprising approximately 7% of its total student population.
The move comes as part of a broader national pattern where over 700 students and recent graduates across the country have had their legal statuses changed by the U.S. Department of State.
Thomas Kennedy, a representative of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, criticized the action, pointing to the arbitrary nature of the visa revocations. “It’s part of a larger pattern where hundreds of students are having their student visas revoked—some because of, you know, petty things like a traffic infraction, but most of the time because of an assault on their First Amendment rights,” Kennedy said.
F-1 visas allow non-citizens to enter the U.S. as full-time students at accredited educational institutions. To qualify, individuals must meet certain criteria, including approval from ICE and proficiency in English or enrollment in English-language courses. Students must also have sufficient financial support for their entire course of study.
Kennedy expressed outrage over the revocation of student visas. “It’s just a disgrace that these students are having their university studies, their university careers, cut short because of this,” he said. “It’s extremely—like I said, un-American. We’re supposed to be better than this.”
In addition to the 18 students impacted at FIU, campus police at other Florida universities, including the University of Florida (UF) and the University of South Florida (USF), have also signed cooperation agreements with ICE. Florida Atlantic University (FAU) Police Department has requested to join the initiative as well.
This agreement marks a significant step in increasing ICE’s presence on university campuses.
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