NEWARK, DE - The University of Delaware (UD) has confirmed eight UD-sponsored visa holders have had their records or visas terminated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
UD learned of the students’ revoked visas through a review of their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records or by learning of the terminations from the Department of Homeland Security. A UD spokesperson tells WBOC the University had not been notified in advance and was not involved in the federal government’s decision to terminate the visas.
A spokesperson for UD says the eight visa terminations included three current students and five former students on post-graduation Optional Practical Training work authorization.
“UD’s international students, faculty and staff are valued members of our University community, and the University will continue to closely monitor for additional developments,” officials said in a statement to WBOC.
WBOC also reached out to several other Delmarva colleges and universities for any potential student visa terminations. Salisbury University says no students in their SEVIS records have had their visa status terminated as of Thursday morning.
“Salisbury University is monitoring the situation, as are most universities across the U.S.,” a Salisbury University spokesperson said.
The University of Maryland Eastern Shore also said they'd had no visas terminated. Delaware State University did not immediately respond.
Numerous U.S. colleges have reported some international students’ visas being revoked unexpectedly, according to the Associated Press (AP), including Harvard, Stanford, UCLA, and Ohio State University. Though the Trump administration has focused on students affiliated with pro-Palestinian activism, colleges are seeing international students with no known connection to protests lose their visas, the AP reports.
University of Delaware officials say they are not aware of any UD community members being arrested, nor are they aware of any federal law enforcement presence on the campus in relation to the visa terminations.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.