The Trump administration’s recent revocation of student visas are “deeply troubling” and seem “arbitrary and unjust,” University of Wisconsin-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said Thursday.
In a column published in the Wisconsin State Journal, Mnookin addressed the recent visa terminations of UW-Madison students and alumni. As of Tuesday, the university is aware of the termination of 27 total records, which includes 15 current students and 12 alumni.
“It's deeply troubling that, over the past few weeks, about two dozen international students at UW-Madison and recent alumni lawfully working in the U.S. had their records terminated and were directed to return home, without warning or clear explanation,” Mnookin wrote. “Some were just weeks from graduation.”
Mnookin further emphasized the impact of international students, both at the university and throughout the world, and highlighted the importance of cultural diversity in the Wisconsin Idea — the university’s guiding principle that the benefits of education should extend beyond the walls of the classroom.
“International students bring ideas, energy and determination,” Mnookin wrote. “They along with staff and faculty from across the globe enrich our classrooms, research labs and the broader community.”
Earlier this week, a federal judge blocked the Trump administration from deporting or taking further action against Krish Lal Isserdasani, a 21-year-old UW-Madison graduate student who had his visa terminated earlier this month.
Isserdasani had a disorderly conduct arrest on his record, the result of a verbal altercation outside of a bar one night, but it was never prosecuted by the district attorney. Other international students who have had their visas revoked have indicated that minor offenses or traffic violations have been the “criminal conduct” used as justification for these revocations.
In her column, Mnookin alluded to these cases, mentioning instances of speeding tickets and other traffic violations serving as the justification for visa termination.
“Revoking visas on such flimsy grounds or on no clear grounds at all seems arbitrary and unjust,” she wrote. “We cannot afford to lose the voices of talented international students, staff and alumni who are an integral part of our community. When they are turned away, suddenly and without explanation, we all lose.”
Annika Bereny is a Senior Staff Writer and the former Special Pages Editor for The Daily Cardinal. She is a History and Journalism major and has written in-depth campus news, specializing in protest policy, free speech and historical analysis. She has also written for state and city news. Follow her on Twitter at @annikabereny.
