6 UNC international students face deportation after visas revoked
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WTVD) -- UNC confirmed that the visas of 6 international students were terminated by the U.S. State Department.
Student leaders at UNC were already on edge after both Duke and NC State announced they had students who had their visas revoked.
The termination of their student visas means they could now face future deportation.
"I saw it happening in the Triangle and sooner or later we knew they were coming to UNC," says Adolfo Alvarez, UNC's student body president.
Alvarez says he's been left in the dark about who these 6 international students are, what country they're from, or why their visas were revoked.
He's concerned it could have to do with UNC's high-profile role in pro-Palestine protests happening on campuses across the country.
"You know we were on the national stage we saw that Donald Trump clearly disagreed with the UNC student body on what was happening or on the part of the student body that was protesting that day and so it could be related to that at this point I don't have all the information," Alvarez says.
While international visas can be terminated at any time, the State Department did not give any clear reason when asked about the visas today.
"We don't go into statistics or numbers. We don't go into the rationale for what happens with individual visas, what we can tell you is that the department revokes visas every day in order to secure our borders and to keep our communities safe and we will continue to do so," said spokesperson Tammy Bruce at a State Department press conference.
UNC is home to thousands of international students. UNC Junior Caroline Strada says it was important to speak up for fellow students as they worry if they could be next.
"They're scared and rightfully so because you come here to be educated, you come here to get a better education and if you say something that someone doesn't agree with or an administration doesn't agree with, you're axed? It just doesn't seem right," she says.
In response, UNC tells ABC11 in a statement:
"International Student and Scholars Services (ISSS) staff communicate regularly with international students and scholars, as well as their departments, advisors and supervisors, about regulatory changes and their immigration status. ISSS is available to advise, answer questions and provide resources to all university-sponsored international students and scholars."
Alvarez says that's not enough. He wants UNC's leadership to make a bolder statement in support of the 6 fellow Tar Heels now facing an uncertain road ahead.
"The first thing we have to know is the university gonna stand behind them or does it have to be student leadership that has to be the one to provide support outside of the system," Alvarez says.
Alvarez says he is working right now to try and obtain a meeting with UNC Chancellor Lee Roberts to get more clarity about what steps the university is taking. They're hoping for more updates on Wednesday.
College students from universities across the Triangle will hold a major immigration rally at the General Assembly.
