The Office of the Provost confirmed in an email sent to the Stony Brook University community on Thursday, April 10, that the United States government has terminated the student visas of 11 international Stony Brook students.
The email did not specify why the student visas were revoked, but the announcement follows President Donald J. Trump’s administration’s revocation of hundreds of international student visas, with more than 120 universities reporting affected students.
“As you may know, the federal government has terminated student visas for a small number of international students across the country in the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System (SEVIS),” the email read. “Stony Brook has learned that 11 students’ records have been terminated, as of today.”
The email was written by the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Carl Lejuez, the Dean of the Graduate School and Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education Celia Marshik and Senior Associate Provost for Global Affairs Lindsi Walker. They assured students that the Office of Global Affairs has been notified, are in direct contact with all impacted students and “will continue to monitor the situation.”
At the start of the current administration, Trump announced a series of executive orders directly impacting the lives of undocumented citizens and immigrants. One of the orders rescinded a policy that protected facilities like schools and places of worship from immigration enforcement, which has contributed to a rise in raids from Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In response to these orders and raids, Stony Brook students gathered in protest. They called upon the University to protect international students and workers, demanding that the University affirm their commitment to undocumented, international and non-citizen students and staff.
The email continued by urging international students with questions to reach out to the University’s Visa and Immigration Services and International Student Success office and to visit the Immigration Policy Updates page for the latest available information.
“We want to reaffirm our strong support for all international students and scholars. Stony Brook is deeply enriched by the perspectives and contributions of our global community, and we are proud to learn, teach, and conduct research alongside such exceptional individuals,” the email read. “Thank you for your continued support and concern for our community of international scholars.”
The Statesman reached out to the University to comment on the email. A University spokesperson re-emphasized the Office of the Provost’s email and referred to a SUNY spokesperson for further clarification.
