Visas revoked for GMU students

The U.S. government has terminated or revoked student visas for 15 international students at George Mason University.

“These terminations have occurred without involvement of or prior notice to the university,” states a announcement on the GMU website signed by GMU President Gregory Washington and Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell.

“As we seek to learn why our students were selected for visa revocation and what decision-making process is being applied by the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security, we are writing to the George Mason community to affirm our advocacy for the appropriate treatment of all international students enrolled here,” Washington and Pascarell state. “We will do whatever the law permits to assist our students, and we are actively exploring what those options may be.”

GMU enrolls 4,000 international students and 26,000 American students.

GMU’s Office of International Programs and Services is providing the affected students with support and additional external resources. Students are being advised to contact their academic dean to see what options they may have to complete their coursework.

So far, the university has not gotten a response from federal authorities on what process is being used to identify students for visa revocations.

“To be clear, we have played no role in facilitating these visa terminations,” Washington and Pascarell say. “We have not shared confidential student visa status or immigration information with federal authorities.”

“GMU Police officers do not engage individuals solely on the basis of immigration or visa status. Additionally, to our knowledge, federal agents have not been to campus to engage or detain international students,” they state.

GMU only finds out if a student’s visa status has changed is by monitoring the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System database maintained by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security or when informed by the students themselves.