In the last week, Indiana universities have released additional details about their plans to support international students whose visas have been revoked by the Trump administration.
Since April 7, the Department of Homeland Security has revoked at least 1,700 student visas and legal statuses across the U.S., according to Washington, D.C.-based Inside Higher Ed. At least seven of those students are studying at Indiana universities, according to an ACLU complaint.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement does not tell universities when a student’s legal status in the U.S. has been terminated, meaning that university staff must check a federal database regularly and alert students when their status changes.
Here’s how Indiana University and Purdue University have responded to these recent changes:
Indiana University
Indiana University will help its international students who lose their visa or legal status finish their degrees.
For graduate students specifically, that could include allowing students to argue their thesis and dissertation defenses remotely.
The commitment was announced April 16 by the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition, the union representing graduate student workers at Indiana University Bloomington.
IU spokesperson Mark Bode told Mirror Indy that the university’s protocols apply to all IU students, which includes those in Indianapolis. Bode also said the policies were outlined at a regularly scheduled meeting between the graduate student government and the university.
At that meeting, Bode said, administrators provided information on existing guidance for students who are being affected by federal immigration policy.
At IU Indianapolis, international students make up about 13% of the student body, per spring 2025 enrollment data.
Per the union’s news release, IU also said it is not providing information to the Department of Homeland Security and will not automatically fire students whose legal statuses or visas are revoked.
IU administrators told graduate students, according to the union, that visa revocations “have no clear pattern” and are not tied to political activity, such as participation in the pro-Palestinian encampments.
Tricia McLaughlin, spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said the department regularly conducts reviews of the international student database and identifies violations, which are then reported to the U.S. Department of State. The State Department makes the final decision on whether to revoke a student’s visa.
“This process is nothing new and is part of longstanding protocol and program,” McLaughlin said in an email.
McLaughlin directed Mirror Indy to a list of reasons that a student’s legal status may be terminated, including not taking enough classes.
Indiana students named in the ACLU lawsuit were told that their legal statuses had been revoked because they were “otherwise failing to maintain status” due to a criminal records check or visa revocation.
Tammy Bruce, lead spokesperson for the State Department, told reporters April 8 that the department does not release information about the criteria used to revoke student visas, but that “the criteria, as it is, is applied appropriately.”
Purdue University
Purdue University said in an April 21 news release that staff are in touch with each student who has been affected by the visa revocations.
“We all recognize this is an anxious time for our international community, and we are providing both overarching and tailored support to those impacted, consistent with our responsibilities as a public, land-grant host institution in an evolving context of recent federal actions and court cases,” the release said, in part.
As of fall 2024, 17% of Purdue’s student body were international students.
At least five Purdue students have had their legal statuses terminated, according to the April 15 ACLU complaint. The Lafayette Journal & Courier reported Purdue will not publicly say how many of its students had been affected by the visa revocations.
Purdue encouraged students to contact the embassy of their home country and seek help from a lawyer outside the university. Staff will also work to connect students with resources such as counseling services.
Purdue directed students to contact Chris Collins, director of international student services at ccollins@purdue.edu. The university directed faculty, staff and postdoctoral students with visa questions to contact Amanda Thompson, director of international scholar services, at thomp557@purdue.edu.
When asked if Purdue planned to help international students finish degrees, university spokesperson Trevor Peters referred Mirror Indy to its previous statements, which did not address that question specifically.
Legal resources for international students
If you’re an international student, here are some free and low-cost legal services in the Indianapolis area:
- Catholic Charities Indianapolis: To make an appointment, call 317-592-4008.
- Indiana Legal Services: Call 844-243-8570 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Thursday or apply online.
- Mariposa Legal: Call or text 317-426-0617 from 1-5 p.m. Monday through Friday for legal consultations. Services available in English or Spanish.
- National Immigrant Justice Center: Call 312-660-1370 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Are you an international student in Indianapolis? If so, contact Claire Rafford, who covers higher education for Mirror Indy in partnership with Open Campus. Contact Claire by email claire.rafford@mirrorindy.org, on most social media @clairerafford or on Signal 317-759-0429.
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