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Critical Topics and Their Significance for the UPSC CSE Examination on April 07, 2025

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Why are student visas being revoked in U.S.?

For Preliminary Examination:  Current events of national and international Significance

For Mains Examination: GS II - International relations

Context:

The Trump administration has cracked down on the visas of anyone suspected of being involved in campus protests or otherwise linked, howsoever loosely, to advocating for human rights in Gaza

Read about:

H1-B Visa

Key takeaways:

What is the U.S. approach to student visas?

• U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently addressed concerns over the revocation of student visas, emphasizing that holding a U.S. visa is not a guaranteed right. He remarked that many campuses nationwide are experiencing disruptions — including building takeovers and organized protest activities — and that students involved in these actions, while on a visa, may have their status reconsidered. 
• The authority to cancel visas is granted to the Secretary of State under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, particularly when a foreign national is seen as a potential threat.
• Recent reports indicate that U.S. immigration officials have begun thoroughly vetting new visa applicants under categories such as academic (F), exchange (J), and vocational (M), especially those suspected of involvement in campus protests.
• As part of the second Trump administration’s “Catch and Revoke” initiative, Rubio stated that by March 27, over 300 international students had already had their visas cancelled. Among these were reportedly Indian students.
• In the 2023–24 academic year, there were approximately 3,31,600 Indian students studying in the U.S., according to data from the State Department. The initiative stems from an executive order signed by President Trump in January to counter perceived “anti-Semitic” campus movements.
• Authorities are said to be using artificial intelligence tools to analyze social media content to identify students whose online behavior may justify revoking their visas and initiating deportation.
• Signaling a tougher stance, the Trump administration has also significantly reduced federal funding to several major universities, including Columbia, the University of Pennsylvania, and Johns Hopkins.

How is international student enrolment monitored?

• Data from the Migration Policy Institute shows a dramatic increase in international student enrolment in the U.S., rising from around 26,000 in 1949–50 to nearly 1.1 million by 2019–20. Their share of the total student population also grew from 1% to almost 6% over that period.
• After it was revealed that one of the 9/11 hijackers had entered the U.S. on a student visa but never enrolled in classes, the government launched the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) in 2003.
• This centralized system is designed to track all foreign students and exchange visitors, requiring educational institutions to routinely update student data. Students