3 Penn students have had their international visas revoked

The Ivy League university says the termination is unrelated to on-campus protests in 2024.

A University of Pennsylvania sign

A University of Pennsylvania sign is seen in Philadelphia, Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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At least three international students at the University of Pennsylvania have had their visas revoked by the federal government, according to a statement released Monday.

According to UPenn’s International Student and Scholar Services, the students’ immigration statuses were deactivated in the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System.

The university said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were not present on campus in connection to the cases, and the terminations were “related to immigration status violations.”

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“We are also aware of reports of encounters with ICE agents locally in Philadelphia and additional visa revocations,” the statement said. “We want to reassure the community that we are monitoring and investigating all reports and providing appropriate support to people when these incidents arise. This is an extremely unsettling time for international students and scholars at Penn and in the United States. Know that we will make every effort to provide you with timely guidance about recent immigration policy changes.”

Last year, Penn effectively banned encampments on its campus following multiple arrests of pro-Palestinian protesters last June. According to a statement from the university, the standards “reinforce and reaffirm Penn’s commitment to open expression.”

Last week, Temple University announced a student’s visa was revoked by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the student self-deported. The university did not release details about the student or why the visa was revoked. Temple also said it received no reports of federal ICE or Customs and Border Protection officers being present on campus.

As of last month, Rubio said more than 300 student visas had been revoked as the Trump administration ramped up penalties against students who engaged in protests against the war in Gaza.

Multiple international students across the country have been detained for their participation in pro-Palestine demonstrations, including Tufts University graduate student Rumeysa Öztürk where surveillance video showed her being arrested near her off-campus apartment in Somerville, Mass. by federal agents.

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In January, seven people were detained during an ICE operation conducted at a car wash in North Philadelphia, the first of its kind reported in the city since the start of the second Trump administration.

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