After India raised concerns over the revocation of visas of its students, the United States has denied that it was specifically targeting Indian students, according to a report by The Hindu. This has come just ahead of US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to New Delhi on April 21 for high-level discussions. According to a policy brief by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), of the 327 cases studied involving recent visa revocations, approximately 50% involved Indian students. The broader crackdown has affected an estimated 4,000 international students in the past two months.
“Continuous vetting and visa revocation actions are not limited to visa holders from any specific country or area in the world. All visa applicants and visa holders, no matter the visa type and where they are located, are continuously vetted,” a US official said in a written response to The Hindu.
The AILA study indicates that most of the affected students were enrolled under the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, having already graduated and employed in the US. The rise in visa terminations reportedly followed the launch of a new US State Department initiative called ‘Catch and Revoke’, which uses artificial intelligence to scan social media for posts allegedly hostile to US foreign policy interests. Furthermore, the Department of Homeland Security is said to be targeting students listed in police records—even for minor infractions—leading to the abrupt revocation of their student status.
Among the cases documented, some students were penalised for minor traffic violations or administrative issues, and in at least one instance a domestic violence survivor had their visa revoked after being named in a police complaint. Only two of the 327 cases involved any allegation of political activity, raising questions about the justification for the visa cancellations. Legal experts have pointed out that peaceful protest is not a criminal act and that the move could cause irreversible harm to the careers and futures of these students.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed on April 17 that the Indian government is monitoring the issue closely. “Our embassy and consulates are in touch with the students to provide support,” Jaiswal said. He acknowledged that Indian students have been receiving communications from US authorities regarding their F-1 visa status and reiterated India’s commitment to assisting those affected.
India has a significant presence in US higher education institutions, with over 3.3 lakh students enrolled in the 2023-24 academic year—constituting 29% of all international students. This makes Indians the largest international student cohort, ahead of Chinese students, who make up 14% of the total.
Amid the growing concern, Indian student Chinmay Deore is among four who have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and other US immigration officials, alleging that their immigration status under the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) was unlawfully terminated without sufficient notice. SEVIS is the primary US database used to track non-immigrant student visas.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh posted on X (formerly Twitter), sharing AILA’s findings and calling the matter “a serious concern”. Ramesh urged External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar to raise the issue with his US counterpart, highlighting the inconsistencies and lack of clarity in the visa revocations and the fear they have sparked among Indian students in the US.