At Western Michigan University, students learned on Wednesday that four international classmates had their Student & Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) records deleted by the US Department of State.
That meant their immigration status was in question. According to a Western spokeswoman, one of the four students whose SEVIS records were terminated later told the university their visa had been revoked. The status of the visas for the other three students remains uncertain.
The news of the SEVIS cancellations was concerning to second-year student Natalie Muday.
“I think it's horrible. I mean, I love my friends who are from everywhere. I don't think they should be told to leave an area that they've worked so hard to come to and to get an education for.”
Noula Limberopoulos is a student and the chair of the Campus Democrats.
"I think a lot of people were hoping and praying that it wouldn't reach our community and of course it did," Limberopoulos said.
"While not every case is tied to someone taking political action, it's still implies this broader context of our international and undocumented students being punished and surveilled and silenced, which is obviously a big concern for us," they added.
At Western's International Campus Ministry, volunteers were dishing out meals to dozens of students from around the world. The ministry hosts a free international student lunch each week.
Laura Osborne is one of the pastors.
“We see 100 to 200 students every week. And the temperature is usually really lively and fun and exciting."
Osborne said that's no longer the case.
"It has just been anxious and almost like hard to take a deep breath. These students are just like, ‘okay, I'm keeping my head down and I'm not looking at anybody else and I'm finishing my program.’”
Osborne has been working at the Ministry for the last 10 years. She said as word of the US State Department actions spread, fear on Western Michigan University’s campus grew.
So did attendance at the weekly international student lunch.
“There is a lot of anxiety in the system. There's been anxiety since the end of January on immigration. 'Is ICE coming to campus? Is my visa status in question?' So, we're just doing the best we can to calm fears and get the actual information to students and not just the rumors.”
Western Michigan University enrolls more than 2000 international students each year.
