DHS Cancels Visas of Four Columbia University Students

(MENAFN) The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently canceled the visas of four international students at Columbia University in New York City, as reported by the Columbia Daily Spectator on Sunday.

Columbia University’s Provost, Angela Olinto, communicated the news via an email to the campus, stating that the university had become aware of the visa cancellations "over the past two days," though the exact time of the revocations remains unclear.

Olinto explained that the university officials had not been informed by the Trump administration about the visa terminations. Instead, they only learned of the actions after conducting "proactive daily checks" on the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).

SEVIS, an online platform operated by DHS, is used to track and manage the information of international students residing in the US.

Olinto assured the campus that the International Students and Scholars Office is "monitoring the situation closely" by informing students about any changes in their SEVIS status and offering them access to external legal support.

She also mentioned multiple media reports suggesting that the DHS had been targeting students involved in pro-Palestinian protests or accused of minor criminal offenses, leading to the revocation of their entry visas and direct orders from DHS to leave the country immediately.

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