Emily Wu Pearson
,
Meimei Xu
| WABE
April 10th, 2025
This story was updated on Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 8:29 p.m.
International students at the University of Georgia and Emory University are the latest to have their visas revoked by the Trump administration.
Three Emory alumni and one current Emory student had visas revoked by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to an official release published early Thursday evening by Lanny S. Liebeskind, the university’s interim executive vice president for academic affairs and provost. The alumni are sponsored by Emory to complete post-graduation practical training.
The office of International Student and Scholar Services found out about the visa terminations of the four Emory affiliates through the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System on Tuesday, April 8. Liebeskind added that the office reached out to provide support for the four affiliates.
At UGA, senior officials also said a small number of international students at the Athens university had their visas terminated in a memo to university leadership shared with WABE. First reported by UGA’s student publication the Red and Black, the university says it is providing resources and support to affected students.
“University of Georgia officials are aware that a very limited number of international students have been affected, and we are working to learn more about the situation,” UGA spokesman Greg Trevor said in a statement.
The visa revocations come about two weeks after Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered federal officials to scrutinize international student social media, leading to the arrests of students who have expressed pro-Palestinian views. In January, President Donald Trump also issued an executive order calling to deport and revoke the visas of students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
UGA saw pro-Palestinian demonstrations last year that led to the university barring the group Students for Justice in Palestine from campus. Trevor did not specify whether the Georgia students whose visas were terminated were affiliated with protests.
The Atlanta Police Department and members of the Georgia State Patrol clashed with demonstrators at Emory University protesting the Israel-Hamas War April 2024, which led to multiple arrests. The university’s release also did not say whether the affected affiliates participated in pro-Palestinian protests.
UGA has about 2,600 international students from 125 countries. Emory has around 3,300 international students, and 95% of them are on an F-1 or J-1 visa.
Georgia Tech students and staff have protested to demand that the university cut ties with Israel. Georgia Tech declined to comment on whether international students have had their visas revoked. The University System of Georgia did not respond to requests for comment.
