A total of 12 international students attending Worcester’s Clark University had their visas revoked by federal authorities, according to an email sent by a university spokesperson.
The email, which was sent to Clark students and faculty on Thursday, says the school found out about the revocations by monitoring a database known as the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS).
“At this point, we have confirmed that federal authorities have revoked the visas and/or terminated their record in SEVIS of 12 of our international students,” the letter reads. “We do not know for certain the reason for these actions.”
The letter reads that the federal government normally notifies institutions and students if a student’s visa has been revoked. No such notification has occurred, according to the letter.
“Our Office Global Engagement (OGE) and the International Students and Scholars Office (ISSO) has been in close contact with our students to provide support,” the email reads. “OGE and ISSO are working directly with impacted students to ensure they understand their basic legal rights, help them obtain legal representation, and plan for continuing their studies.”
Staff at Clark is encouraging all international students to keep their personal documentation up to date and be familiar with responsibilities under their visas.
Additionally, Clark joined 85 other higher education institutions and organizations throughout the United States in signing an amicus brief in AAUP v. Rubio — a case challenging the federal government’s revocation of visas and detentions of non-citizen students and scholars.
Clark University is the second Worcester university to report student visa revocations in the span of 24 hours.
Four international students attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) had their visas revoked, according to a statement from WPI President Grace Wang obtained by MassLive on Thursday.
Like Clark, WPI learned of the revocations through SEVIS and does not know the reason for the revocations.
“Just a couple of weeks ago, we came together for Gala, a beautiful celebration of the deep connection we have at Clark with our international students and how, through our individual uniqueness, we are stronger and better as a community. One community,” the Clark letter reads. “To all who have come to Clark from around the world — students, faculty, and staff — know that you are welcome and appreciated, and that we are here to support you.”
The revocations come as the Trump administration continues to crack down on colleges and universities.
Just three months into his second term, President Donald Trump assigned an antisemitism task force to investigate how cities have responded to antisemitism on campuses and threatened to withdraw or withdraw federal funding to universities.
International students who have protested against the war in Gaza have been detained by Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and had their student visas revoked.
On March 25, Tufts University doctoral student Rümeysa Öztürk was arrested by six masked federal immigration agents in Somerville as part of an apparent retaliation to an op-ed article she co-wrote supporting Palestinians in Gaza in the school’s newspaper in 2024.
More than three dozen international students across at a growing number of higher education institutions in Massachusetts have seen their visas revoked in recent weeks.
In all, nearly 1 in 5 higher education students in Massachusetts is an international student.
More Worcester Stories
- Pride Worcester Festival returns this year with brand new march
- U.S. Rep. McGovern demands Trump officials give answers on visa revocations
- Railers’ comeback falls short, lose in shootout against Reading
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
