Four UNLV international students have visas revoked, official says

Four international students at UNLV have had their visas revoked by federal immigration authorities, according to the director of the school’s immigration clinic and an email sent to members of the campus community Friday evening.

The students were not identified publicly in accordance with federal privacy laws, according to the email, which was sent by UNLV Executive Vice President and Provost Chris Heavey.

“We recognize that this news may be difficult for some,” Heavey wrote in the email. “Unfortunately, similar circumstances are affecting many universities and colleges across the country, and so we were prepared for this possibility. We are offering support and guidance to the students during this difficult time, including helping those in need to fulfill requirements necessary to complete their spring semester.”

The email did not say why the visas were revoked.

Michael Kagan, a law professor at UNLV’s Boyd School of Law and director of the university’s immigration clinic, which offers free legal services to members of the campus community, said Friday night that he couldn’t talk about the specific situation of the visas being revoked.

He said the clinic has been “very busy” since January, when President Donald Trump was sworn for his second term in the White House.

“Since January, there’s been a tremendous amount of anxiety on campus,” Kagan said. “We have a lot of immigrant students and a lot more people who have immigrants in their families. Calls to the clinic have increased dramatically. It’s been difficult to keep up.”

Kagan said he encourages anyone in the UNLV community to take advantage of the services the immigration clinic provides.

“I’m an attorney for the clinic, but I’m also a professor and I have immigrants in my classes,” Kagan said. “I wish my students could focus on mastering the material in their classes, but there’s a lot more that they’re dealing with right now.”

If anyone in the UNLV community is in need of support services following the news, the email from Heavy stated university officials “urge you to please utilize our mental health and wellness resources, or talk to a friend or colleague.”