Subhechcha Ganguly 
Hundreds of international students in the U.S. have been left in shock after receiving emails from the U.S. Department of State (DOS) instructing them to leave the country following the sudden revocation of their F-1 visas. The crackdown, reportedly targeting students involved in campus activism, has extended to those who merely liked, shared, or commented on so-called “anti-national” social media posts, raising concerns over freedom of expression for foreign students.
Among those affected, Indian students have been caught in the sweep, with immigration attorneys confirming that even engaging with political content online could lead to visa revocation, as reported by The Times of India.
According to the latest Open Doors report, the U.S. hosts 1.1 million international students, including 331,000 from India. The F-1 visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows foreign students to study at accredited institutions, provided they meet language proficiency, financial stability, and enrollment requirements.
The crackdown follows statements by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who justified the visa revocations by citing national security concerns. Rubio highlighted the U.S.’s right to regulate foreign visitors and referenced the launch of an AI-powered app, “Catch and Revoke,” designed to flag students with suspected ties to extremist organizations like Hamas.
As scrutiny intensifies, new student visa applications are also under stricter review, with applicants’ social media history now a key factor in determining visa approvals. Those flagged could face denials, preventing them from studying in the U.S.
