Homeland Security revokes visa of University of Oregon international student over criminal charges

The US Department of Homeland Security revoked the F-1 visa of an international student at the University of Oregon last week. The student's visa was terminated on March 28 over "unspecified criminal charges," according to the school. This follows Secretary of State Marco Rubio's announcement that the Trump administration would revoke the visas of students who have committed offenses in the United States as part of its broader national security enhancement efforts.

The University of Oregon has not publicly identified the student and said DHS gave them no advanced warning about the situation.

"The university is required to inform students when their F-1 visa status is terminated and that they are given 15 days to leave the country unless they have another legal pathway for remaining," UO spokesperson Angela Seydel told local news. "We are working to understand more about this situation and are committed to handling this matter with care and respect for the student's privacy. When a student's visa is revoked, the university offers any assistance we can provide."

The spokesperson added that the federal agency did not provide further details about the student's criminal charges, nor did the university alert federal authorities about the student. "We recognize that this situation may raise questions and concerns in our community," the spokesperson said.

An F-1 visa is a non-immigrant student visa issued by the United States to international students who wish to pursue academic studies full-time. The State Department typically grants hundreds of thousands of student visas annually, however, the exact amount varies.

While the federal government has primarily targeted international students who took part in unruly pro-Palestinian protests with visa revocations, students who have committed any type of criminal offense are also prone to removal from the country.

A State Department spokesperson told a local paper in a statement: "The United States has zero tolerance for non-citizens who violate US laws. Those who break the law, including students, may face visa refusal, visa revocation, and/or deportation."

According to a social media post issued by the University of Oregon chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America on Wednesday, the student is seeking legal aid and allegedly has "fears of returning to their country of origin."