Seven individuals affiliated with the University of Maryland, College Park have unexpectedly lost their lawful status in the U.S., the university confirmed to The Baltimore Sun on Friday.
“The university is aware that some international students at institutions nationwide, including UMD, have experienced the unexpected termination of their lawful status in the U.S.,” Susan-Ellis Dougherty, director of International Student Scholar Services at the university, said in a letter to the student body. “ISSS will continue to communicate with impacted individuals to provide information specific to their situations.”
The university declined to provide further information Friday.
Maryland’s announcement comes approximately 10 days after similar developments were reported at other universities.
A Johns Hopkins University spokesperson confirmed that 37 students and recent graduates have had their visas revoked by the federal government.
The university’s Office of International Services website has taken steps to inform students of the revocations and is providing “a range of support services,” the school announced.
Additionally, four UMBC students have had their visas terminated, a spokesperson confirmed.
UMBC officials said the school is running daily audits of its student immigration records, having uncovered four record terminations by ICE. In each instance, the school immediately reached out to the affected students, some of whom plan to depart, while others have engaged immigration counsel and are exploring their options.
Other Maryland-based colleges and universities were not experiencing issues with revoked visas or declined to comment.
The F-1 visas are being terminated through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The program is part of the National Security Investigations Division and helps “government organizations that have an interest in information on nonimmigrants whose primary reason for coming to the United States is to be students,” according to the division’s website.
At least 1,024 students at 160 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to a report by the Associated Press.
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