12 UCLA students’ visas revoked by federal government
LOS ANGELES (CBS, KYMA/KECY) - The federal government has revoked the visas of a dozen international students at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk announced Sunday.
Dr. Frenk stated in a message to the Bruin community that UCLA officials learned of the revocations during a routine audit of the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System's (SEVIS) records.
Upon review, the records showed that the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) had revoked the SEVIS status of six current students and six former students participating in a practical training program.
"The termination notices indicate that all terminations were due to violations of the terms of the individuals' visa programs," Dr. Frenk said. "At this time, UCLA is not aware of any federal law enforcement activity on campus related to these terminations."
He noted that these visa revocations follow similar actions at universities nationwide in recent days. Frenk also acknowledged that these developments have raised "a great deal of questions" within the Bruin community.
"We recognize that these actions can bring feelings of tremendous uncertainty and anxiety to our community. We want our immigrant and international UCLA students, staff and faculty to know we support your ability to work, learn, teach and thrive here," he said.
Dr. Frenk emphasized that UCLA is committed to supporting its students while complying with the law.
The SEVP is a component of the National Security Investigations Division and serves as a liaison for government agencies seeking information about nonimmigrants in the U.S. on student visas, according to the U.S. Department of Immigration.
