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NEW: Visas revoked for multiple international students at GMU

By Angela Woolsey
Published April 16, 2025 at 9:00AM

More than a dozen international students at George Mason University have recently had their visas terminated or revoked by the federal government, the university says. ... The U.S. departments of state and homeland security apparently changed the statuses of 15 students without any involvement by or prior notice to university officials, GMU President Gregory Washington and Vice President for University Life Rose Pascarell told the community yesterday (Tuesday).

According to Washington and Pascarell, no explanations have been given for the visa terminations, which they learned about by monitoring a Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database maintained by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Student and Exchange Visitor Program.

“As we seek to learn why our students were selected for visa revocation and what decision-making process is being applied by the U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security, we are writing to the George Mason community to affirm our advocacy for the appropriate treatment of all international students enrolled here,” Washington and Pascarell said. “We will do whatever the law permits to assist our students, and we are actively exploring what those options may be.”

GMU’s Office of International Programs and Services is in direct contact with the affected students, the university leaders said, noting that, as far as they’re aware, no federal immigration agents have visited the university’s campuses to talk to or detain students.

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About the Author

Angela Woolsey
Angela Woolsey is the site editor for FFXnow. A graduate of George Mason University, she worked as a general assignment reporter for the Fairfax County Times before joining Local News Now as the Tysons Reporter editor in 2020.