The University of Memphis confirmed that visas for some international students on their campuses have been revoked.
“We have been informed that five current University of Memphis students have had their SEVIS record terminated as of Wednesday, April 16,” read a statement issued Wednesday. “Our Division of International Affairs is actively working with the impacted students in addition to advising all U of M international students on how to navigate and maintain their status.”
The university did not comment beyond the statement nor provide details about the students involved.
ICE also terminated Student Exchange Visa Information System records of the affected students. SEVIS allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to cross-reference law enforcement databases to track infractions, from parking tickets to more significant crimes.
More than 1,750 international students from 93 countries are currently enrolled at U of M.
The data sharing system was set up by ICE following the Sept. 11 attacks. SEVIS also provides schools with the ability to follow the progress of international students, who are required to maintain a full course load while studying in the U.S. Unauthorized employment and other visa violations are also monitored. Schools must be certified by ICE before they can accept international students.
It is the first reported example in Shelby County of a recent crackdown by immigration agents on university and college campuses across the nation. More than 1,000 international students and recent graduates from more than 130 schools around the country have had visas or immigration statuses revoked during the sweep.
Reasons given for visa terminations run on a spectrum. Some are revoked over simple traffic violations. Other high-profile terminations have been linked to students speaking out or taking part in protests against the Israel-Palestinian conflict on campuses. Many of the latter have been accused of antisemitism.
Halfway across the state, six international students from Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro recently had their visas revoked too. They come from countries in Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Nine students at the University of Tennessee also had their status terminated.
While the University of Memphis was the first school on ICE’s radar locally, other Memphis-based schools are also preparing for visits.
Rhodes College, which has 101 international students from 60 countries, recently issued an alert to students. The message stated that in the very unlikely event that ICE would attempt to enter the campus, they would be directed to the Campus Safety Office.
“We would immediately contact our legal counsel for assistance if ICE were to appear and would also contact the campus community if that were to happen,” read the alert.
ICE would be required to provide a warrant to enter the Rhodes College campus because it is a privately-funded school.
The University of Memphis is a publicly-funded institution.
