DHS Reveals Mass Student Visa Revocation Process | JQJO

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revealed that a team of 10-20 employees used the National Crime Information Center to screen 1.3 million international students, resulting in 6,400 'hits' and the termination of thousands of student records and visas. The 'Student Criminal Alien Initiative' involved sending names to the State Department, leading to approximately 3,000 visa revocations. This mass screening, unprecedented in scale, has raised concerns about accuracy and fairness, with critics citing potential for false positives and outdated information in the database. The Justice Department stated that ICE will cease terminating statuses solely based on crime center findings. Attorneys and experts express apprehension over the process's thoroughness and the potential misuse of technology for immigration enforcement.