Dear Campus Community,

Over the past week, the University of Utah has learned that 20 of our international undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a few recent graduates, have had their visas revoked and their federal education, or SEVIS, records terminated.

During the school year, international students may have their visas revoked by the U.S. Department of State, specifically through embassies or consulates, as the result of an arrest or being charged with criminal activity, which can include driving under the influence, simple assaults and domestic violence.

Colleges and universities across the country have not been consistently notified of changes to the immigration status of international students, nor is the government required to do so under the law. The stated reasons for these recent immigration actions include “individual identified in criminal records check.” However, a few university students’ changes in status have not been connected to a clear, specific interaction with law enforcement, and they face an uncertain path to restoring their right to study in the United States.

Our 3,000 international students and scholars are an essential part of what makes the University of Utah the place that it is—a vibrant and creative community of people of different life experiences, geographies, faiths and perspectives.

The International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) staff in the Office for Global Engagement will continue to monitor federal immigration databases and communicate with student visa holders to provide the most up-to-date guidance for maintaining their immigration status. They also will reach out to those who have been identified by federal authorities as no longer qualifying for student visas to provide support.

In the meantime, we ask faculty, department chairs and deans to be flexible with all our international students as they complete coursework this semester. We urge you to reach out to friends and colleagues who may be struggling, particularly those who are facing unique challenges and upheaval in their lives. We are committed to supporting every member of our campus community as we navigate this time of enhanced federal immigration enforcement.

Sincerely,

Taylor Randall

President

Bob Carter

Senior Vice President for Health Sciences

Mitzi Montoya

Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs