The United States government terminated six University of Wisconsin-Madison student visas and seven alumni visa employment extensions, the university announced in a statement Monday.
A terminated visa status requires the individual to immediately leave the U.S. with no grace period. The university said it was not involved or aware of the terminations.
UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said during a Faculty Senate meeting Monday it is not “atypical” to see visa terminations every year, but the university and other institutions have seen an elevated amount of terminations within the past week. Mnookin said the university has “no reason to believe that the record terminations have had anything to do with political speech or protest activity.”
At least 147 international students across the country have had their visas terminated in recent days.
UW-Madison said it cannot determine the exact rationale for these terminations, but does not believe they are specific to participation in “free speech events.” Across the country, immigration officers have detained international students due to their involvement in pro-Palestine causes.
Mnookin said the university has not seen any activity from the U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement “here or in the immediate environments in an unusual way.”
UW-Madison International Student Services has reached out to the individuals to provide resources and advise them about potential consequences, the university said.
“I care deeply about each and every one of our students and our safety, and we will continue to explore this more,” UW-Madison Dean of Students Christina Olstad told The Daily Cardinal.
Campus News Editor Gavin Escott contributed to this article.
Ella Hanley is the college news editor for The Daily Cardinal and former associate news editor. She is a fourth-year journalism and criminal justice student and has written breaking, city, state and campus news. Follow her on Twitter at @ellamhanley.
