Updated Thursday, May 1 at 9:00 p.m.
Every Northeastern student and recent graduate whose legal status had been terminated has had their status restored in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, the university announced April 28.
The development follows an April 25 update in which the university said “many” Northeastern students had their Student and Exchange Visitor Information, or SEVIS, status restored — meaning they can continue their education in the United States. In an email to The Huntington News, Northeastern media relations said that “All Northeastern students and recent graduates whose status had previously been terminated – have now had their status restored.”
In a follow-up email asking whether this pertained to the more than 40 people who had their visas revoked, a university spokesperson said “F-1 and J-1 visa holders are notified directly by the State Department about their visa status.” The university’s “Navigating a New Political Landscape” FAQ page no longer lists the number of students and recent graduates who have had visas revoked. It is unclear how many people affiliated with Northeastern had their legal status restored.
A Homeland Security Department spokeswoman told The New York Times that the federal government has “not reversed course on a single visa revocation.” As of April 24, over 1,800 international students have had their legal statuses terminated.
Updated Tuesday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m.
More than 40 people affiliated with Northeastern have had their visas revoked by the State Department, according to an April 14 update to the university’s “Navigating a New Political Landscape” FAQ page.
When asked how many Northeastern affiliates have had visas terminated as of April 14, a Northeastern spokesperson directed The Huntington News to the FAQ page. The university did not directly respond to questions about the number of affected students at each of its 10 U.S. campuses, nor whether there have been reports of immigration officials on its campuses.
“We don’t have any additional information to share at this time,” a university spokesperson wrote in an April 15 email to The News. “We update the FAQ regularly.”
On April 10, the university updated the FAQ page to say that it may allow, “in some cases,” for students to continue studies remotely or at one of the university’s campuses in the United Kingdom or Canada. The FAQ does not specify if this option is only available to students whose legal status has been terminated in the U.S. or international students more broadly.
“Northeastern is committed to helping our international students, faculty and staff — and our entire global community — stay informed and safe at a time of deep uncertainty,” the FAQ page reads.
Updated Monday, April 7 at 10:00 p.m.
As of April 7, the State Department has revoked 40 visas of people affiliated with Northeastern, including 18 current students and 22 alumni, according to Northeastern Vice President for Communications Renata Nyul.
Northeastern has more than 24,000 international students and recent graduates across Northeastern’s 10 U.S. campuses.
The Office of Global Services emailed Northeastern visa holders April 7 with guidance, including carrying proof of identity and lawful presence at all times and staying “vigilant” for scams targeting international students and scholars.
“Northeastern is committed to helping our international students, faculty and staff — and our entire global community — stay informed and safe at a time of deep uncertainty,” Northeastern’s “Navigating a New Political Landscape” FAQ page reads.
Universities in the Boston area — including Harvard, University of Massachusetts, Amherst and Boston and Berklee College of Music — have reported that 23 total visas have been revoked from students and recent graduates across all the schools as of April 7.
Updated Monday, April 7 at 8:00 a.m.
Several Northeastern students and recent graduates have had their visas revoked, according to an April 6 update to Northeastern’s “Navigating a New Political Landscape” FAQ page.
The update comes as the Trump administration clamps down on non-citizens engaging in political advocacy on campus. However, the FAQ stated that there is “no evidence” that a Northeastern student or recent graduate had their status revoked in relation to “political advocacy or speech.”
“Northeastern is committed to helping our international students, faculty and staff — and our entire global community — stay informed and safe at a time of deep uncertainty,” the FAQ page reads.
It is unclear when, why and how many people had visas revoked. Renata Nyul, Northeastern’s vice president for communications, declined to provide a specific number of people affected.
“We are not providing a specific number due to the fluidity of the situation,” Nyul wrote in a statement to The Huntington News Sunday night.
Other local universities also announced Sunday that several community members had lost legal resident status; at least three Harvard students and two graduates, as well as seven students at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst and Boston, had visas revoked.
In March, the Trump administration said 300 student visas had been canceled.
“The United States has zero tolerance for non-citizens who violate U.S. laws. Those who break the law, including students, may face visa refusal, visa revocation, and/or deportation,” a department spokesperson said in a statement to The Boston Globe. “The Department of State will continue to work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to administer and enforce U.S. visas and immigration laws.”
Northeastern’s Office of Global Services wrote on its legal resources page that while visa revocations have “historically been rare” and are typically tied to arrests or criminal charges, “recent actions suggest a broader approach by the U.S. government.” Last month, the university urged international students to “exercise caution” when traveling outside of the U.S. due to an executive order restricting entry to the country from 43 countries the administration considers to be “of particular concern.” Northeastern has the second-most international students of any university in the country, according to the Institute of International Education, enrolling a reported 21,023 international students during the 2023-24 academic year.
While some students have been targeted for pro-Palestinian activism or criminal activity, others have had visas canceled for traffic violations.
On March 25, Rümeysa Öztürk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, was detained by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents near her off-campus apartment in Somerville. The Globe reported that Öztürk was not notified her student visa was revoked before she was handcuffed and taken into custody by plainclothes officers.
Öztürk’s detainment sparked national and local outrage, culminating in a Somerville rally the next day that drew more than 2,000 people. Most recently, more than 50,000 people took to the Boston Common April 5 as part of nationwide “Hands Off” protests, rebuking the Trump administration.
The FAQ page referred students to the Office of General Counsel for questions about university-sponsored employment visas, and encouraged community members with visas independent of the university to contact an immigration attorney. The Global Safety Operations Center, the FAQ page added, has established a 24/7 phone line to respond to concerns about immigration enforcement on campus and should be used by anyone approached on campus by an immigration official.
This article will be updated as more information becomes available.
