Georgetown announced Monday on a university webpage that several community members who had formerly lost their immigration statuses or visas had their legal status reinstated. The development comes after the Trump administration abruptly walked back student visa cancellations across the country on Friday.
“Of the community members whose immigration status was terminated or whose visas were revoked by the U.S. government… the Office of Global Services is aware that the government has reactivated the status of a number of impacted individuals,” the webpage says.
“We are continuously monitoring all F-1 and J-1 student and scholar records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) and will reach out to affected students, alumni, and J-1 scholars to provide information and resources,” the statement ends.
The move comes as Justice Department lawyer Elizabeth D. Kurlan announced in a Friday court hearing that immigration officials were reinstating student visas for the time being while Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) formulated a new “framework” for visa termination. The Trump administration had previously terminated more than 1,500 students’ visas at 222 universities nationwide.
At least 10 Georgetown students had their immigration statuses terminated, according to updates on a university webpage from April 9 and 14. The university was not given a reason for the terminations. The same day, the Department of Homeland Services (DHS) announced that they would begin screening non-citizens’ social media activity and crack down on “those who support antisemitic terrorism, violent antisemitic ideologies and antisemitic terrorist organizations.”
This month, Georgetown also signed onto a court brief in support of the plaintiffs in American Association of University Professors v. Rubio, which argues that the Trump administration’s arrests of non-citizens and revocations of student visas have created a climate of fear that harms American education and the U.S. economy.
In an April 16 email to noncitizen students and alumni, Vanessa Meyers, Georgetown’s Director of the Office of Global Services, said that Georgetown checks students’ visa statuses daily.
“OGS monitors SEVIS daily and will promptly notify community members of identified changes to the status of their F-1 or J-1 record,” Meyers wrote. “OGS is not notified by [the Department of State] regarding student visa revocations.”
Meyers also cautioned visa holders from traveling outside the country.
“We encourage you to use your own judgment in assessing your personal risk and comfort level with traveling outside the U.S., while also preparing for the possibility of sudden immigration changes,” Meyers wrote.
In closing, Meyers emphasized that international community members are a valued part of campus and that the university recommends they stay informed about their rights while in the country.
“Our international students, alumni, and scholars are not only valued but essential members of our campus community. In this spirit, we strongly encourage you to stay informed about your rights and responsibilities, as well as the laws governing your immigration status in the United States.”
