- Local universities confirmed Tuesday that four international students have had their visas revoked.
- Student activist groups like Students for a Democratic Society and Young Democratic Socialists of America are starting to plan a protest and response.
- Watch now to hear how the student movement is planning to show up for international students.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
The national wave of student visa revocations has reached Tallahassee, sparking concern among the student body.
"This is what everybody has been dreading, and its finally here and we need to do something about it."
I'm Alberto Camargo, your College Town neighborhood reporter.
I was able to confirm Tuesday that four college students in the Capital City have had their visas revoked.
And while more details are not being released just yet, I'm getting a look inside the student response being planned.
"We have to fight, because no one is going to fight for these students in a grassroots way."
The mobilizing has started already among Tallahassee's college students.
I confirmed Tuesday that three Florida State students and one Florida A&M student have had their visas revoked.
Both universities declined to give any more information about the students due to privacy reasons.
The same afternoon, the outspoken Tallahassee chapter of Students for a Democratic Society met to plan a response.
SDS communications co-chair JJ Glueck says they're demanding more support for international students from administration.
"We would appreciate if FSU did more to protect its students on campus, and they have been silent and they have done absolutely nothing to defend them."
According to the Department of Homeland Security, there are over 50,000 active international students in Florida and more than 1 million across the United States.
According to FSU's 2024 Fact Book, Florida State has about 2,800 international students, or about 6.5% of its student body.
The most recent number I could find for FAMU's international student body was 144 in 2021.
Glueck says SDS plans to stand in solidarity with all of them.
"We want to remind people 'hey we are here.' We're here to help you and we're also here to stand up for the students at FSU and all students in Tallahassee."
Fellow member Kaiden Rosa expects the movement to get plenty of support from what he says is a Tallahassee community that won't stay quiet.
"We've shifted our organizing strategies to be more reflective of what the people are passionate about in Tallahassee, and we're going to fight for that and create a popular movement."
Officials from Valdosta State and Thomas University each confirmed to me that none of their international students have been affected yet.
SDS says they plan to hold a protest and march on the campus of Florida State on Thursday afternoon starting at 3 p.m.
In College Town, Alberto Camargo, ABC27
Update:
FAMU has become the second local university to announce that one of its international students has had their visa revoked. Earlier today, we reported Florida State University announced three students had their visas revoked.
Officials from Valdosta State and Thomas University each confirmed that none of their international students have been affected yet.
Original:
Florida State University confirmed Tuesday, April 15th, that three international students have had their visas revoked.
FSU says for privacy reasons, the university will not provide further information. While it is unclear why those student visas were revoked, the Associated Press reports that visas are being revoked for hundreds of students from private and public universities nationwide.
In earlier April, the AP reported the Trump Administration began using new tactics and vague justifications to push some students out of the country. The Department of Homeland Security took away their entry visas and ordered the students to leave the U.S. immediately.
Now, several students who've had their visas revoked in recent weeks have filed lawsuits against the Trump administration, arguing the government denied them due process when it suddenly took away their permission to be in the U.S.
In lawsuits against the Department of Homeland Security, students have argued the government lacked justification to cancel their visas or terminate their legal status.
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