Federal agencies have terminated “a small number” of international students’ visas at GW, officials said Thursday.  

Officials announced in a weekly “federal update” email to community members Thursday that the University is aware that a “small number” of students had their visas revoked or terminated by the Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies. Federal agencies have revoked visas from hundreds of students at universities across the country over the past few weeks due to their alleged involvement in campus protests against the war in Gaza or minor crimes. 

The State Department is responsible for issuing and revoking visas, the DHS Office of Public Affairs said in an email. A University spokesperson declined to comment on how many student visas the State Department revoked.

University President Ellen Granberg said during a Faculty Senate meeting Friday that she was not aware of “all the details” regarding the specific number of students who had their visa revoked or for what reason the documents were rescinded by federal agencies, which she said included DHS.

“My understanding is that we are doing everything we can to support our students,” Granberg said at the meeting. 

Provost Chris Bracey said the total number of revoked student visas was “split” between current and recently graduated students. Bracey said there’s no grace period for a terminated visa, which puts recipients at immediate risk of detention and deportation and that officials recommend affected students seek legal representation. 

Most student visas terminated by the federal government are F-1 and J-1 visas. F-1 visas require students to be enrolled as a full-time student in an academic program at an institution approved by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, proficient in English, have funds available to support themselves and maintain a residence abroad. J-1 visas are for visitors participating in an exchange program for the purpose of learning, researching or teaching.

Bracey said the case for each student with a revoked visa is different. He said he’s had conversations with the deans of different colleges about whether it’s possible for graduate students to complete their work online or through “some other mechanism” to complete the spring semester.

“It’s very disappointing,” Bracey said at the meeting.

Bracey said other university provosts in the Association of American Universities, a prestigious group of 71 leading research universities in the United States, reported similar instances on their campuses across the country in a call earlier this week.

As of Friday, more than 800 students from at least 150 universities across the country have had their visas rescinded by federal agencies for various reasons and often with little to no explanation. Last month, the U.S. Department of State began revoking the visas of international students who Secretary of State Marco Rubio said participated in “political activism.” 

University officials in the Thursday email encouraged international students to carry proof of immigration registration “at all times,” learn about how the government collects individuals’ personal data and review guidance from the American Immigration Lawyers Association and American Civil Liberties Union on their rights when asked about their immigration status.

The email also directed community members to consult with “qualified external immigration counsel” about any “legal questions or concerns.” 

A State Department spokesperson said the agency “generally will not comment” on its actions regarding “specific cases” due to privacy concerns and visa confidentiality. The spokesperson said the department revokes visas “every day” in an effort to “secure America’s borders and keep our communities safe.” 

The spokesperson said the department “looks at” information that arises after the department issued the visa, like potential visa ineligibility, posing a “threat to public safety” or “other situations where revocation is warranted.” 

“This can include everything from arrests, criminal convictions, and engaging in conduct that is inconsistent with the visa classification, to an overstay,” the State Department spokesperson said in an email.

The department is generally not required to notify a visa holder that it revoked their visa, unless they deem the reason “practicable,” the spokesperson said. They added that the department notifies DHS of any revocation actions and plans to continue working closely with DHS to enforce a “zero tolerance” policy for noncitizens who violate laws or threaten public safety.

“The Trump Administration is focused on protecting our nation and our citizens by upholding the highest standards of national security and public safety through our visa process,” the spokesperson said in an email.

The spokesperson declined to comment on how many GW student’s visas the department revoked.

University spokesperson Julia Garbitt said officials continue to assist students affected by the visa terminations and provide immigration and safety information to students and other community members. The University is aware that the revoked visas have caused “concern and anxiety” within GW’s international community, she said.

“The University continues to encourage community members to take advantage of available mental health and wellness support services, including GW Counseling and Psychological Services for students and the Employee Assistance Program for faculty and staff,” Garbitt said in an email.

The Trump administration’s recent cancellation of international student visas has targeted students who have protested in solidarity with Palestinians amid the war in Gaza, which legal scholars say is a violation of free speech, NPR reported Tuesday. ICE last month arrested Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and green card holder who led pro-Palestinian protests on its campus last spring. 

Masked ICE agents on March 25 also arrested Rümeysa Öztürk, a doctoral student at Tufts University, who said she was not aware that her visa was revoked until she was taken to Vermont by federal agents. DHS claimed Öztürk participated in activities “in support of Hamas” but have not provided evidence for the claim. Öztürk’s colleagues said she was not an organizer in pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Tufts. 

Her lawyers claim she was targeted by the federal government for co-authoring an op-ed in the Tufts Daily that criticized the university for rejecting resolutions the Tufts Community Union Senate passed demanding Tufts acknowledge a Palestinian genocide, apologize for the university president’s statements on the war in Gaza and disclose investments in companies with ties to Israel.

DHS announced Wednesday that the agency would consider social media posts it deems antisemitic as grounds to revoke or deny immigration benefits. The department is also reportedly using “data analytic tools” to search through the social media histories of about 1.5 million international students for potential grounds to revoke their visas, sources told NBC News.