Students demonstrated on Wednesday for the second time in less than a week after the count of revoked visas for University international students grew to at least 50, according to a graduate student activist.
Green Evans-Schroeder, a law firm where international students can receive legal consultation, told Michael Kintscher, a member of ASU's United Campus Workers Arizona union and a doctoral student studying computer science, that at least 50 students at the University have had their visas revoked.
Kintscher also said that Green Evans-Schroeder has been in contact with at least one student who is still in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainment as of Monday.
Green Evans-Schroeder declined to comment but said in a written statement that "The situation for students across the country is rapidly evolving."
An ASU spokesperson said the University was unable to provide any further information beyond saying that no international students have been deported.
Kintscher said they have seen some of the letters notifying students that their visas have been revoked. Kintscher also said no reason is given by the Department of State for the decision in the letters, nor is a deadline given for these students to leave the country.
The identities of the affected students remain unknown. It is unclear whether more students could face revocation.
Kintscher said the students they have spoken to have had no involvement in pro-Palestine protesting or activism. Kintscher explained that international students are often hesitant to protest in fear of losing their legal status to remain in the country.
The case law surrounding international students' rights, as well as the conditions of student visas, made their positions precarious even before recent revocations, Kintscher said.
Kintscher also said the students facing revoked visas do not reflect the narrative of the federal government on expelling solely criminals from the country.
"We're talking about highly educated people who, if allowed to stay in this country and work after they graduate, would likely be high-income earners, would likely contribute significantly to taxes and would likely take on highly skilled labor that we struggle to fill roles with," Kintscher said.
The Party for Socialism and Liberation of Phoenix (PSL), UCW Arizona, Arizona Palestine Solidarity Alliance and Students for Justice in Palestine at ASU organized a protest Wednesday to demonstrate for the international students affected, as well as to call attention to other demands.
Gabriela Solis, a member of PSL and a senior studying public health, said the goal of the demonstration was to show the University their continued solidarity with students who have had their visas canceled.
Solis said student activists will "try to show up everywhere we can, whenever we can, to spearhead the movement against the deportations and against the oppression."
"It was eight last week, 50 now," said Hayden Nguyen, the co-chair of SJP at ASU and a sophomore studying business policy and management. "We don't know where it's going to be next week, and we need to build a really strong movement."
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Multimedia managing editor Matthew Marengo contributed to the story.
Edited by George Headley, Sophia Ramirez, Alexis Heichman and Katrina Michalak.
Reach the reporter at coyer1@asu.edu and follow @carstenoyer on X.
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Carsten is a freshman studying journalism and mass communication. This is his first semester with The State Press. He also worked as his high school's newspaper editor-in-chief.
