University of Oklahoma confirms visa revocations of students, immigration attorney outlines what to do next
OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — Despite the University of Oklahoma being unable to share visa revocation information, an email sent to students and staff confirms some Sooners have been impacted.
With uncertainties of visa revocations, an immigration attorney said the next steps for students and universities are to have a plan of action.
"If you are having to leave the country suddenly or not return, what can you do with your credits? Can you transfer them to another school?" said Lorena Rivas, owner and Immigration Attorney from Rivas & Associates.
For universities, Attorney Rivas suggests finding a way to make up for lost funds if institutions are unable to bring in international students.
News 4 knows of several college students across the state with revoked visas.
"I have been contacted by some OU students and Oklahoma State students, Oral Roberts students, and other regional schools," said Attorney Rivas.
She said some of the students with revoked visas have traffic citations or prior arrests on their record for charges that have been dismissed.
In previous reporting, we asked OU how many of their students were impacted by the revocations, and they said they couldn't share any information due to student privacy laws.
However, in an email shared with News 4, the university confirmed students were impacted.
The email reads in part, "Understandably, this has created significant stress and ambiguity for students actively pursuing their academic programs. At OU, we are working closely with those impacted."
Some visas being revoked are cited to be pulled due to political or criminal activity.
"If somebody is deemed to be a security risk or a, you know, a danger to the community, then ICE would detain them and then the individual would have the opportunity to present their case before an immigration judge," said Attorney Rivas.
Republican U.S. Senator James Lankford talked about the revocations on Flash Point last Sunday.
"There's a student, I won't name the school right now, but there's a student that we can't find any discipline problem. That was an issue there. And so we're just asking the State Department to say, hey, help us understand this particular visa," U.S. said Senator Lankford.
We asked for an update from the Senator today. His office is still looking into the matter.
Attorney Rivas said for students with revoked visas, they could either apply for reinstatement or consider filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration. However, the students wanting to go that route have been referred to federal litigators who can handle bigger cases.