U.S. Senators Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff (both D-Calif.) condemned the Trump Administration’s revocation of hundreds of international student visas—many on ideological grounds—citing violations of due process and First Amendment rights. In a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the Senators criticized ICE’s termination of California students’ SEVIS records and the State Department’s AI-powered “Catch and Revoke” initiative, which monitors international students’ social media for alleged extremist ties.
“These visa revocations and record terminations constitute unprecedented and unconstitutional attacks on freedom of thought and expression,” the Senators wrote. They urged an immediate halt to the surveillance program, restoration of revoked visas, and full transparency.
The Senators detailed cases of ICE detaining students at campuses and homes without legal notice, often based on vague social media activity or political affiliations. “If true, these practices…violate students’ First Amendment rights,” they said.
Padilla and Schiff highlighted that California’s 140,000 international students contribute $6.4 billion to the U.S. economy and support over 55,000 jobs. “These institutions serve as beacons of opportunity,” they wrote, warning that ongoing visa actions threaten both economic growth and America’s global leadership in science, research, and innovation.
