Trump's visa crackdown: 'Affected Indian students should take legal help'

The Donald Trump administration’s abrupt revocation of student visas has left hundreds of international students, many from India, scrambling to understand what went wrong. Without explanation or legal recourse, these students were declared in violation of their visa terms and ordered to leave the United States.

Also read: US visas of over 1,000 international students revoked

Educational consultant Rajkamal Rao, in conversation with The Federal’s Managing Editor K S Dakshina Murthy, highlights that the targeting of international students, especially from India, seems to be part of a broader anti-immigration push under the Trump regime.

“The average student doesn't even know what they did wrong. One day their visa is valid, the next day they are illegal,” Rao remarked.

Trump’s ambivalence on immigration

Rao describes Trump’s stance as ambivalent, swinging between progressive ideas like green cards for graduates, and harsh enforcement on the ground. He attributes some of the recent revocations to a broader MAGA-driven immigration crackdown, where even legal students are caught in the dragnet due to confusion between illegal and legal migrants.

Also read: Indian among 4 students to move US court against possible deportation

“The press began conflating illegal immigrants with legal ones. The MAGA base doesn’t even know the difference,” Rao noted.

Violations and ethical lapses

While some deportations may be tied to genuine visa violations, such as unauthorised work, Rao stressed that the scale of deportations is exaggerated and unfairly generalised. Many students might work informally in restaurants or use templated SOPs, which violate visa conditions but aren’t criminal offences.

Also read: Trump threatens to ban Harvard from enrolling foreign students

“I’ve told students: working off-campus in your first year is a clear violation. Many don’t realise they’re playing with fire,” said Rao.

Denial of due process

What disturbs Rao most is the denial of due process. Students are neither informed about their infractions nor given an opportunity to appeal. Some are abruptly detained or forced to self-deport, with little clarity about their legal rights.

“Indian students are here legally on F-1 visas. They deserve due process. That’s what the US Constitution stands for,” he said.

A system under pressure

The visa system, according to Rao, is already under stress. Despite the US being a top choice for international students, enforcement has become overzealous. However, the appeal of studying — and eventually working — in the US remains strong due to opportunities to transition into work visas and permanent residency.

“If the US removed the post-study work visa (OPT), student numbers would drop by 90%,” Rao claimed.

Competing destinations rise

Countries like China, Japan, and Australia are capitalising on the US overreach by streamlining their student visa systems. While the US remains the aspirational gold standard, these emerging alternatives are becoming attractive to students looking for stability.

“Japan has opened up to Indian students. China too. If the US continues this way, students will go where they feel wanted,” Rao warned.

Enforcement without empathy

Rao recalled a 2020 incident when Trump officials tried to deport students studying online during the pandemic, citing outdated anti-terrorism laws. That move, later overturned by the courts, revealed how arbitrary the system can be when ideology trumps practicality.

“You couldn’t go to campus due to COVID, and yet the administration said you were violating your visa. That’s absurd,” he said.

The Steven Miller factor

Rao pointed to Steven Miller, a key Trump advisor, as the ideological force behind many anti-immigration policies. Describing him as “the Amit Shah of the US,” Rao implied Miller’s radical ideas continue to influence the administration’s posture on foreign students.

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