NMSU international students part of Trump visa reversal

New Mexico State University international students have regained their visas and are now able to remain legally in the U.S. after the Trump administration reversed its decision to revoke visas held by students studying at colleges across the U.S.

The Trump administration reversed its decision late last week to put legally documented international students studying at U.S. universities into legal limbo. Many of the international students who lost their visas earlier in April are now seeing their legal status restored.

That includes the nine international students studying at NMSU who lost their visas as of April 11. Amanda Bradford, spokesperson for NMSU, told the Bulletin that, as of April 30 the nine in question have seen their visa status restored.

While officials at NMSU said the land-grant college was not aware of any connection between the federal action and any protests or campaigns the nine participated in, some affected students across the U.S. appear to have been targeted because they participated in campus protests or incurred minor driving tickets.

Bradford said that the nine international NMSU students were not disenrolled when they lost their visas a few weeks ago nor did the federal action impact their academic standing. Although the visa revocation came in the middle of the semester, Bradford said NMSU’s Office of International Students and Scholar Services reached out to each student. She said the university set up meetings to talk to the affected students and provided additional information and resources, including immigration attorney contacts.

Bradford said NMSUs Student Assistance Services Office also reached out to the nine international students to help them complete the current semester and offered academic and counseling support.