US campus unrest: Indian students avoid joining protests due to fear of visa evocation, expulsion & deportation

A wave of anxiety and uncertainty grips several Indian students studying in the US due to the ongoing protests in the American universities where students demand an end of the ongoing war in Gaza, The Indian Express reported.

After the Chinese, Indian students are the second-largest international student group there, the publication stated.

As the students watch their fellow peers face disciplinary action including suspension and arrests, due to the ongoing protests, they fear the threat of visa evocation, expulsion, even deportation too.

The publication stated that it interviewed several Indian students on F-1 visas, and none of them name to be used in this report, thus indicating their apprehensions. The Indian students are mindful of the consequences of them joining the protests, or taking any side, as they are financially dependent on loans or aid from the university.

While speaking to the publication, a 29-year-old Master’s student at Columbia University relocated from India to the US two years ago, who did her graduation from Delhi University (DU) said that she was not new to the concept of campus protests, but being a part of a protest in an American university makes her think twice, as she is torn between diving headfirst into the “pro-Palestine” movement on campus and the weight of what’s “at stake,” if she becomes a part of the protest.

Some students mentioned although they are involved in the protest, they are doing it for an arm’s-length, which included pitching in with fundraising, placards, spreading the word on campus but steering clear of the front lines, so that they are not getting into much trouble with the police.

The Master’s student at Columbia said, “I am navigating very complex emotions…I have to be extremely careful about my position as an Indian student on a student visa… my parents keep telling me to stay out of it.” said.

The student aims to pursue a research degree from the same university, thus as of now she mentions that she very cautiously has only lent support to the demand for the university to divest from Israeli companies.

The student said, “It’s not just about the visa being revoked or being suspended. It’s about the long-term consequences. It’s harder for an international student to come out of such a situation. If I am suspended tomorrow, it will be even harder for me, given my identity and the historical exclusion in this predominantly white country.” She further added that she could only afford her education only due to financial aid provided by the varsity

Yale University has been witnessing protests for over two weeks now. A PhD candidate from Delhi at Yale University said, “The university funds my tuition and my visa might be revoked — this was the first thing that crossed my mind.”

A professor at Princeton University where several students have been arrested recently over the protests said that expulsion would have an impact on the F-1 visa of any international student.

“When a student is suspended or dismissed, the student who is in F1 or J1 status cannot legally remain in the US,” as per an FAQ on Carnegie Mellon University’s website.

The publication further mentioned that American varsities are expected to update an international student’s status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) within 21 days of suspension or expulsion. Due to this the US government is immediately notified of the change in status.

Viral Doshi, a US college admissions consultant, said that both the suspension and expulsion are reflected in a student’s record. He further stated that in both these cases, the student gets an opportunity to file an appeal to the university, followed by which the university can review, reconsider the appeal based on the severity of the actions of the student. He further added that the appeal might not work in some cases and thus advised the Indian students not to cross any fine lines.

Indian faculty members at the American universities are also facing quite a challenge amid the current situation. A 34-year-old early-career scholar at Columbia said, “It is challenging to maintain peace in the classroom between students who resonate with both sides of the issue… It is difficult for international teachers on contracts as we might not get permanent employment and risk termination.”

With the help of American peers, some Indian students who are aware of the probable risks have somehow managed to become an active part in the protests, the publication added.

A 22-year-old American Indian student pursuing her Bachelor’s at Northeastern University, told the publication that organizers warn international students of raids or police entering the campus in advance so they can leave the encampment site. The fellow student is one among the protest organisers in the college campus.

Another student from Delhi, currently studying at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, mentioned that although the atmosphere here is not as hostile as it is in New York, they were keeping phone numbers of legal support handy and were very careful while taking part in the protests.