WICHITA, Kansas — A group of Kansas college professors is calling on universities to reveal how many foreign students have had their visas revoked or may be facing deportation.
In a resolution released this week, the Wichita State University chapter of the American Association of University Professors also urged university leaders to protect the rights of international students and to provide clear directions to faculty on how to handle recent immigration crackdowns.
University leaders have “taken silence as their line of action,” said Gamal Weheba, an engineering professor and president of the WSU chapter.
“Our international students are very important to us … and we felt that we have to let them know that some faculty are supportive of their safety and their ability to continue their studies.”
International students across the country are facing an increase in revoked visas and deportation for a variety of reasons. It’s unclear how many may have been affected in Kansas.
Weheba believes at least 27 WSU graduate students have had their student visas revoked this semester. Many have stopped coming to class or onto campus because they fear immigration enforcement actions.
If a student’s visa is revoked, their legal status in the U.S. can be terminated, potentially leading to deportation or other consequences.
In an emailed statement, WSU officials said: “The university is working hard behind the scenes to do everything we can to support our students, and we acknowledge we are all faced with rapid changes and uncertainties.”
University leaders would not say how many students have been affected, directly or indirectly, by immigration crackdowns. Graduate students often work as teaching or research assistants.
“The Office of International Education has worked one-on-one with students to understand their options, navigate available resources, complete coursework, and receive internal and external support they need, and in some cases, provide resources to their families,” WSU’s statement said.
An estimated 7,600 international students attend college in Kansas, at both public and private universities.
In the fall of 2023, WSU reported about 3,200 international students from more than 100 countries. The University of Kansas reported 1,741 international students last fall. Kansas State University has 981, with the majority coming from India and China.
Weheba, the WSU professor, is president-elect of the Kansas conference of the American Association of University Professors. He said universities across the state should clarify what’s happening on campuses and speak up for international students.
“We’re not asking for reasons. We’re asking for clear numbers so we can cut rumors, and a directive to faculty (about) how to deal with these cases,” he said.
“We’re asking, ‘How many students? Are you taking any action?’ And the response is consistently ‘No,’” Weheba said. “The answer across the board is radio silence, and silence is not a good, healthy environment.”
Weheba said universities could lose large numbers of international students, which would affect research and overall enrollment.
In an email message to faculty and staff in April, WSU President Rick Muma said the university projects a budget shortfall of up to 5% next year, in part because of enrollment shifts among out-of-state and international students.
The recent resolution by the professors’ group calls on Muma to speak up for international students “and aid them in their legal pursuits challenging their removal or rejection of student visa status.”
Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service.
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