BLACKSBURG, Va. – Timothy Sands, the current president of Virginia Tech, issued a statement on Thursday regarding multiple students who have had their legal status revoked.
To the university community,
As many of you are aware, the legal status of some international students enrolled in U.S. colleges and universities has been revoked, resulting in the termination of their records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). This includes members of the Virginia Tech community.
As of 5 p.m. on Wednesday, three undergraduate students, four graduate students, and two alumni have had their SEVIS records terminated, which generally means they must leave the U.S. immediately. We do not know why the terminations occurred and are seeking additional information from the State Department and Department of Homeland Security. At this time, we are not aware of any immigration actions affecting Virginia Tech faculty or staff.
The Cranwell International Center conducts daily audits of the SEVIS system and works with affected students to ensure they have access to appropriate university resources. Their website provides current information on immigration issues.
At last week’s community conversation, I noted how much we value the international members of our community. Representing more than 130 countries, their talent, global perspectives, and diverse ideas are an important part of our teaching and research mission. Their cultures, traditions, and histories enrich all of our lives and they are true Hokies.
Student Affairs and the Graduate School will host an online information session about current immigration issues on Friday, April 18 from 9 a.m. to 9:45 a.m., and I encourage you to submit your questions. Please follow Virginia Tech News for additional information.
We will continue to share information with our community as it becomes available.
In the spirit of Ut Prosim (That I May Serve),
Tim Sands, President of Virginia Tech
In the statement, President Sands confirmed that three international undergraduate students, four graduate students, and two Virginia Tech alumni had their records terminated, and they likely will have to leave the country immediately.
This comes as colleges across the country have seen immigrant student records quietly terminated and legal statuses revoked.
The University of Virginia also issued a statement last week regarding a student who had their visa revoked. The college also reported an increased presence of immigration enforcement on campus.
We will have more on this incident on Friday with 10 News Reporter Thomas Mundy.
