Senator Alex Padilla
A group of 36 Democratic senators is pressing the Trump administration to reconsider its recent actions revoking international student visas and terminating Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records, calling the moves potentially unlawful.
The senators, led by Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), along with Immigration Subcommittee Ranking Member Alex Padilla and Senator Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.), sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons demanding explanations for what they describe as "an unannounced change in policy."
According to the senators' letter, these actions have impacted thousands of visa holders across the country who appear to have been following all applicable laws and agency guidance. The Office of Student Exchange and Visitor Programs (SEVP) within ICE has completed at least 4,736 terminations of student visa holders' SEVIS records.
"By DHS's own admission, the statute and regulations do not provide SEVP the authority to terminate nonimmigrant status by terminating a SEVIS record," the senators wrote in their letter. They welcomed news that ICE had reversed some SEVIS terminations in response to litigation but urged officials to "undo other actions to end student status that are inconsistent with such laws, regulations, and agency guidance."
The letter outlines concerns that federal law may have been violated in the process, particularly regarding notice requirements. Many students reportedly learned of their status termination only after their universities were notified of SEVIS record terminations, without any information about potential reinstatement processes. Some students received email directives to self-deport with no clear explanation or appeal options, while others reportedly only discovered their status had been revoked when federal agents arrested them.
The senators emphasized that students on F-1 and J-1 visas are admitted to the United States for "duration of status," meaning they may remain in good standing as long as they comply with visa terms and conditions, even after visa expiration.
"Students who have entered through our legal immigration system and followed the law remain unsure of what, if any, steps they may take to maintain their status and safeguard themselves from immigration enforcement," the senators wrote.
The letter requests detailed information from the administration by May 12, including any guidance issued since January regarding visa revocations, SEVIS terminations, and immigration enforcement against student visa holders. The senators are also seeking data on the total number of student visas revoked and SEVIS records terminated since January 20, 2025, with specific breakdowns by country of origin, visa category, university, field of study, and other factors.
Of particular note, the senators requested information about "the use of artificial intelligence to search national databases, criminal records, and social media to identify nonimmigrants for visa revocation or to otherwise end status."
Padilla has previously advocated for international students, leading 23 senators in calling on the State Department to address visa backlogs in 2021 and chairing a 2022 hearing on challenges faced by international students seeking higher education and employment in the United States.
The issue affects students on F-1 visas for academic study, M-1 visas for vocational education, and J-1 exchange visitor visas. Universities across the nation are working to support affected international students while awaiting clarity from federal agencies.
For international students caught in this uncertainty, the situation remains precarious despite the partial reversal of some terminations. Without their SEVIS records, students cannot maintain legal status and may face deportation, potentially disrupting years of academic work and research contributions to American institutions.
