Two University of Idaho international students had their visas revoked last week. The mayor of Moscow, Art Bettge, and Moscow Police Department confirmed there has been no ICE activity on campus or in town.
The Argonaut spoke with a source who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation. They said that the two students are working with legal counsel to resolve or appeal this issue and have not been detained for deportation.
“This is not what they deserve,” the source said.
The Argonaut could not determine the current whereabouts of the two students.
This comes in a recent wave of more than 300 international student visas being revoked in the United States without clear justification, including two Gonzaga University students and one Washington State University student. The New York Times reported that Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, ordered diplomats in late March to scour social media for visa applicants who were suspected of criticizing U.S. foreign policy regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Executive Director of Communications Jodi Walker told The Argonaut that “the students were notified directly, and the university learned about it by reviewing the Student and Exchange Visitor Program website.” A SEVIS representative told The Argonaut they did not have any information on the topic.
The identities of the students have not been released in compliance with FERPA protections, Walker further shared. She commented on the sensitive nature of the circumstances, saying “This is a very fluid situation.”
The Argonaut reached out to the International Programs Office for comment, but the office director referred all inquiries to Walker.
No reasoning has been provided for the revocation of the UI students’ visas, and the many immigration-related rules international students must follow leaves a wide range of possibilities. Prior to the Trump administration’s orders, the loss of visa status would not have received the current spotlight and could have been explained by a filing error or legal infraction.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January announcing a crackdown on “the explosion of antisemitism on our campuses” following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian political organization Hamas.
In a fact sheet regarding the order, Trump said, “To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: Come 2025, we will find you and we will deport you. I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”
In April 2024, a pro-Palestine demonstration occurred outside of the UI library. Nick Koenig, who was present at the demonstration in 2024, spoke to the Spokesman Review in an April 4 article with concerns that the visas may have been revoked due to a student’s participation in such events.
“It’s important we have international students on our campus,” Koenig told the Spokesman. “I believe fully in bringing in international voices.”
UI international students have begun carrying photocopies of their visa documents and pamphlets about their constitutional rights according to the anonymous source.
According to the Association of International Educators, international students contributed $43.8 billion to the U.S. economy during the 2023-24 academic year and supported more than 378,000 jobs. The same report showed the importance of international talent to American research and economic competitiveness post-graduation.