International students across the United States are being ordered to self-deport after receiving emails from the Department of State informing them that their F1, M1, or J1 visas have been revoked. The sweeping action—part of a Trump administration initiative—comes amid heightened surveillance targeting students perceived to support Hamas or other designated terror groups.
300 visas cancelled already
The programme, led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, has already resulted in over 300 visa cancellations within three weeks, senior State Department officials told Axios. Many students were told to leave the U.S. via the CBP Home App.
The revocations apply not only to those who physically participated in campus protests but also to students flagged by AI systems for simply liking or sharing social media posts deemed “anti-national,” an immigration attorney told The Times of India.
Increasing use of AI in the crackdown
AI tools are now scanning thousands of student profiles for “derogatory information” across platforms, particularly in the wake of Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. Students caught in the dragnet include those with no previous violations. Once flagged, consular officers review their cases—sometimes using screenshots of their social media as evidence—and may revoke visas even without an arrest.
Rubio, on March 27, confirmed the government’s aggressive stance: “At some point, I hope we run out because we’ve got rid of all of them… We’re looking every day for these lunatics that are tearing things up.” He added, “I think it’s crazy to invite students into your country that are coming onto your campus and destabilising it.”
President Donald Trump echoed Rubio’s position earlier in January: “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice. We will find you, and we will deport you.”
The effort builds on a directive issued by Rubio on March 25 requiring mandatory social media screening for all visa holders and applicants. Since October, over 100,000 student profiles have reportedly been scanned, and visa revocations are being logged into records—even if no problematic content is found.
The campaign marks a stark departure from the previous “Duration of Status” (D/S) framework under the Biden administration, which allowed students to remain in the U.S. as long as they maintained active visa status. Now, those targeted for revocation may face detention, fines, and future visa ineligibility, with passports required to be physically submitted for cancellation.
According to the 2024 Open Doors Report, the U.S. hosted 1.1 million international students in the 2023-24 academic year—including more than 330,000 from India.
