Lafayette, LA – Three students at the University of Louisiana (UL) have had their visas revoked, according to officials, in a broader trend impacting international students across Louisiana. The revocations are part of a wave of visa terminations reported by the Louisiana Illuminator, an independent investigative newspaper based in New Orleans, earlier this week.
The Illuminator reported that a total of 16 international students from several Louisiana universities have had their permission to remain in the United States withdrawn by the Trump administration. These terminations are part of a broader crackdown on student visas that has affected universities statewide.
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette confirmed the termination of three student visas but, citing federal privacy laws, declined to provide further details. Other universities, including the University of New Orleans (UNO), also confirmed similar revocations. UNO, which reported the termination of three student visas, echoed UL’s response, citing privacy laws as the reason for withholding additional information.
The Louisiana Illuminator identified the universities impacted by the visa terminations: Southern University, Southern University at New Orleans, Tulane University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the University of New Orleans. These institutions collectively saw 16 student visas revoked.
In response to inquiries from the Illuminator, the University of Louisiana System clarified the status of its institutions. Grambling State, Louisiana Tech, McNeese State, Nicholls State, Northwestern State, and Southeastern Louisiana University (SLU) all reported that no international student visas had been revoked at their campuses. However, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (UL) and the University of New Orleans (UNO) confirmed the termination of three student visas each.
The wave of visa terminations follows broader national changes to immigration policy, particularly under the administration of former President Donald Trump. These policy shifts have focused on tightening regulations for international students, which some argue have led to increased uncertainty and hardship for students from abroad seeking education in the United States.
While specific reasons for the terminations remain unclear, the widespread nature of the issue has raised concerns about the future of international student enrollment in Louisiana and across the country. Universities are left navigating the challenge of balancing federal immigration policies with their missions to foster global academic communities.
As federal privacy laws limit the amount of information that schools can share about individual cases, the full impact of the visa terminations remains uncertain. The broader implications for affected students and their educational futures are yet to be fully understood.
For now, the story continues to unfold, with more details expected as universities and officials respond to inquiries about the extent of the issue.