USC among schools to confirm student visas revoked
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - International students across the country are having their visas revoked, and now it’s happening in the Midlands.
The University of South Carolina (USC) confirmed several international students have reported their visas revoked. The school told WIS News 10 in a statement that it was unable to give additional details at this time.
On Wednesday morning, two students sent word to WIS News 10 that their friend, who was an international student, was given less than three days to leave the country or run the risk of being taken to an immigrant detention center.
WIS News 10 attempted to the student directly but the student couldn’t. saying they were unable to speak to the media.
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WIS News 10 also reached out to other universities around the state. So far, USC is the only college to confirm reports of visas being revoked.
Visas are used to grant entry into the U.S.
The students who reached out say their friend was attending USC on a non-immigrant visa, more commonly known as a student visa. Unlike immigration visas — or green cards — student visas are temporary and don’t guarantee permanent residency.
Attorneys told WIS that if either kind of visa is revoked, it doesn’t mean a person has to leave the country immediately, only that you can’t re-enter the country without applying for a new visa.
However, with the recent changes surrounding immigration on the federal level, students say they are leaving for fear of being sent to detention camps if they are caught without a valid visa.
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Immigration attorney Wolfgang Buchmaier said, legally, the Department of Homeland Security has the discretion to revoke visas, especially student visas if they believe the student has become a concern for national security.
“And it’s probably a smarter idea to leave,” said Buchmaier. “Unless you have the funding and want to make an example by fighting it.”
Buchmaier said if you choose to fight your case, there is still no guarantee that you would win the appeal.
And if you lose, that brings even more attention to the issue and will contribute to the chances of being sent to a detention camp.
Attorney Sebastian Hernandez Sanchez at Bluffton-based immigration law firm Hernandez Sanchez Law told WIS News 10 their firm is monitoring cases.
In some cases, “there’s been no clear reason given for why visas have been revoked. Others, they say have been linked to traffic infractions, criminal charges, or participation in pro-Palestinian activism,” said Sanchez.
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