AILA: Trump Dragnet Widens to Unconstitutional Targeting of People with Visas

Washington, DC - Over the past weeks, individuals holding lawful visas, including students and researchers, have experienced visa revocations, termination of lawful status, and in some instances detention, and removal without clear explanations. The Administration has detained and removed people with lawful status who have already gone through strict vetting processes, without providing an opportunity for them to contest these actions. In the last week alone there have been reported a significant number of visa revocations and terminations of student status across the country for seemingly no alleged law enforcement or national security related issue. AILA leadership issued a statement urging Congressional actions in response:

AILA President Kelli Stump stated, “AILA acknowledges the country’s right to revoke visas under the laws of the United States. But, we are seeing a new trend where more and more students are being arrested shortly after visa revocation on unknown grounds. These arrests and detentions, often at the hands of masked plainclothes officers, are terrifying and chilling. Such black-ops tactics, used against people who are not trying to evade any law, have absolutely no place in our country. Many of these individuals appear to be students who have merely exercised their Constitutional right to free speech, whether by writing opinion pieces or peacefully protesting, and should not be targeted for deportation without any due process, have their liberty taken away, and detained in harsh, inhumane conditions in jails far away from their home. International students bring enormous benefits to our nation, working on important research, adding innovation and creativity as well as new perspectives to our college campuses. The American people must come together and call on Congress to rein in these abuses of power and right these wrongs.”

AILA Executive Director Ben Johnson stated, “This Administration appears intent on detaining and deporting even immigrants with lawful status—people contributing to our economy and our communities—who pose no threat. It has targeted those exercising constitutionally protected rights and rounded up hundreds, if not thousands, of people with legal visas, often with little regard for due process. This agenda, fueled by nationalism and fear rather than fairness or constitutional principles, must be challenged. The damage is real. Targeting students and researchers and scaring them from coming to the US will have profound consequences. International students contribute billions of dollars to our economy. Scholars and researchers are making this country stronger by doing incredibly valuable work in cancer research, space travel, computer technology and almost every area of science and research. Driving them elsewhere not only weakens our economy but threatens our national security. As other nations benefit, America risks falling behind. Congress must act now to provide oversight and end this abuse of power.”

Related Resources

• Featured Issue: Student Visa Revocations
• Call for Examples: Student Visa Revocations & Terminations