‘Horrified’: State, local politicians criticize termination of Penn student visas

Several state and local elected officials criticized the State Department's recent revocation of student visas — including those of at least three Penn students — in interviews with The Daily Pennsylvanian. 

Earlier this week, an email from Penn's International Student and Scholar Services stated that “at least three” Penn students’ visas have had their immigration status terminated. The announcement came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters last month that the State Department has revoked 300 or more student visas. 

Pennsylvania State Rep. Tarik Khan (D-Philadelphia), who received a Ph.D. from the School of Nursing in 2022, wrote in a statement to the DP that “it's despicable to watch the attack on our freedoms by this regime, including at Penn — these assaults are radical and un-American." 

Other Pennsylvania House Democrats echoed Khan’s sentiment, referencing the impact actions taken by 1968 Wharton graduate and President Donald Trump’s administration have had on their communities and higher education institutions. 

“I’m horrified by the Trump Administration’s actions that are hurting many of our communities, including our college campuses,” Pennsylvania Speaker of the House Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) wrote in a statement to the DP. “The seemingly indiscriminate revocation of student visas will have a devastating effect not just on individual students, but on our nation’s world-class higher education sector.” 

Other officials criticized the University's lack of response in supporting members of the Penn community affected by recent federal actions. 

“Penn should leverage its vast resources to protect and otherwise support students and other members of its academic community — irrespective of their political views — against harassment and potentially illegal actions by federal agents and their accomplices,” Pennsylvania State Rep. Chris Rabb (D-Philadelphia) wrote to the DP. 

Philadelphia City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier acknowledged that while Penn’s recently launched Know Your Rights website is valuable, it alone is not enough. 

“I don't believe that Penn or any university should take President Trump's attacks laying down because he's not going to stop,” Gauthier said. “We've seen other universities sue the president and successfully counter his hateful, cruel, and legally questionable actions." 

"Penn needs to show the same type of strength and fight in this moment, and they need to do that to protect their mission but also to protect their students," Gauthier added. 

Gauthier, who represents Philadelphia’s third District — which includes University City — also spoke about how personal the issue is for her. 

“I represent a district where there are so many diverse immigrants from all over, and they make the third district in the city and the University of Pennsylvania a better place,” Gauthier said. “In fact, Philadelphia would not have seen growth over the past two decades, were it not for our immigrant community.” 

Pennsylvania State Senator Nikil Saval (D-Pa.) echoed Gauthier's sentiments.

“I hope that [Penn is] forthright and in condemning these actions and working with impacted students to complete their coursework and degrees and ensuring the safety of all students," Saval said. 

“Imagine what it must feel like to be in the shoes of these students,” Gauthier said. “They come here legally to learn. They get their visas. They want to do what every college kid is trying to do, right, and what every immigrant is trying to do, build a better life for themselves, their families, [and] their communities. And then, without warning, their visas are revoked, and now somehow they're here illegally and can be rounded up by ICE and sent to prison.” 

In reference to his concerns on the future of higher education, Rep. Ben Waxman (D-Philadelphia) wrote that “International students are a critical part of Philadelphia's academic community." 

“The crackdown on international students that has begun under this administration is shortsighted and will ultimately hurt our nation's ability to attract people from around the world to attend our institutions of higher learning. This is not a good thing,” Waxman added. 

Saval and Khan also discussed their efforts to counter the Trump administration's policies through legislation. 

“I'm introducing legislation to limit the ability of municipalities and to collaborate with ICE, so to sort, in other words, separate civil and criminal proceedings,” Saval said. 

“This session I'm working on legislation to protect students … from ICE,” Khan wrote. “Schools like Penn should be a place of learning, safety, and security — not frontlines for families and communities from being torn apart.”