Olszewski, Maryland House Colleagues Press for Answers on Behalf of International Students Attending Maryland Universities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Johnny Olszewski (MD-02) joined Representatives Sarah Elfreth (MD-03), Steny Hoyer (MD-05), Kweisi Mfume (MD-07), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Glenn Ivey (MD-04), and April McClain Delaney (MD-06) in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem on behalf of Maryland university international students who have been arrested or had their student visas revoked by the Trump Administration. To date, over 1,700 visas have been revoked and 4,736 students have had their status terminated across the country by this Administration.
“We write with profound concern that the Department of State revoked the status of student visas in the United States and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested a number of students without any transparency or explanation of why they are being targeted,” the lawmakers wrote.
“Students have been picked up in the street – in some cases by plain clothed immigration agents in unmarked cars – and being held in detention facilities with no warning and limited information as to why they are being deported. These students should be entitled to the fundamental rights of due process and freedom of speech – just as our Framers intended,” the lawmakers continued. “The Administration’s egregious policies have already had serious impacts at Maryland universities, including Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland College Park, and University of Maryland, Baltimore County. These students are from different countries, in different programs, and have been in the U.S. for different lengths of time, yet are suffering the consequences of the indiscriminate policies of this Administration without explanation.”
In their letter, the lawmakers press for information on the following:
- The number of student visas revoked from Maryland Universities
- If the Department of State plans to reissue these visas
- How many Maryland students have had their legal status terminated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) by ICE, including: the specific legal status terminated and the legal authority for termination
- A timeline for SEVIS record termination framework
- The criteria the Department of State and ICE use to identify students for visa revocation and termination of legal status in SEVIS
Beyond the international students’ fundamental rights of due process and freedom of speech, international students enrolled in English language programs at U.S. colleges and universities contributed $371.3 million and supported 2,691 jobs to the U.S. economy during the 2023-2024 academic year.
Congresswoman Elfreth, a former Maryland college professor, issued an original statement on the rights of international students at the beginning of April, which is available HERE.
The full text of the letter is available HERE.
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