Trump admin's crackdown on Indian students: Visas revoked, social-media vetting, mass deportations- All that's happened so far

Indian students, the largest international cohort on U.S. campuses, are now at the epicentre of a sweeping crackdown on foreign scholars under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration agenda. From stepped-up social-media vetting to surprise SEVIS terminations, a series of measures is reshaping how and whether non-US citizens can study in America.

Here is a look back at all that happened in this renewed crackdown on international students in the past few months:

1. Social-media vetting stalls new visa interviews

An internal State Department cable instructed consular posts to “halt scheduling new visa appointments for students and exchange visitors” until fresh social-media screening rules are finalised. Spokesperson Tammy Bruce underlined the new posture: “We will continue to use every tool we can to assess who it is that's coming here, whether they are students or otherwise.”

The pause leaves thousands of Indian applicants in limbo just as peak admission season approaches.

2. Visas revoked if students skip class

The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi has warned current students that even minor attendance lapses can cost them their status: “If you drop out, skip classes, or leave your program of study without informing your school, your student visa may be revoked, and you may lose eligibility for future US visas… Always adhere to the terms of your visa and maintain your student status to avoid any issues.”

Advisers across American universities say Indian students now account for the bulk of inquiries about “status maintenance.”

3. Harvard’s 788 Indian students caught in SEVP cross-fire

The Department of Homeland Security has revoked Harvard’s authority to enrol foreign students, citing failure to hand over protest-related records. Secretary Kristi Noem accused the Ivy League school of “perpetuating an unsafe campus environment that is hostile to Jewish students, promotes pro-Hamas sympathies and employs racist ‘diversity, equity and inclusion’ policies.”

Harvard called the order “unlawful and disruptive,” noting that 788 Indians must transfer or depart by the 2025-26 year if the decision stands. “We are working quickly to provide guidance and support to members of our community,” a spokesperson said.

4. Mass deportations gather pace

A nationwide injunction has, at least temporarily, blocked ICE from detaining or removing students solely over visa status, but the climate remains tense. Judge Jeffrey S. White ruled the government’s actions had “wreaked havoc” on campuses after more than 4,700 student visa permits were cancelled this spring.

5. 4,000 visas revoked in Trump’s first 100 days

The New York Post reported at least 4,000 student visas were cancelled in Trump administration’s opening months. A senior State Department official defended the purge, claiming, "90 % of the revoked visas involved students with serious criminal charges… They came and they were breaking the law with no consequences."

Rights groups counter that many cases involve minor offences or none at all, with Asians, especially Indians, disproportionately affected.

6. SEVIS terminations blindside campuses

An American Immigration Lawyers Association brief details 327 abrupt SEVIS closures, nearly half hitting Indians, often over petty police encounters such as parking fines. Universities complain they were never alerted; students discovered the terminations only when they tried to travel or renew documents.