By Thomas Mangieri
TAMPA, Fla. — In response to the federal government revoking more than 600 student visas in recent weeks, The University of Tampa is holding travel advisory meetings for international students. The meetings take place in the Office of International Programs in Grand Center Room 103.
According to The New York Times, the Trump administration has intensified efforts to revoke nonimmigrant student visas across the country, prompting increased concern among students nationwide.
While no UTampa students have been affected yet, Henry Heredia, assistant director of international programs, said the threat is imminent.
“It’s not a matter of if it is going to happen but when it’s going to happen at UT,” said Heredia.
The meetings are geared towards international students planning to return home for summer break. Heredia was one of the main voices at the travel advisory meetings held in the Office of International Programs, where they advised international students potentially heading back for the summer.
Heredia warned that current visa revocations often stem from two main reasons: any past arrest within the last five years, regardless of whether charges were dropped. The other thing they use as an excuse is finding out an international student has spoken out or posted about the Gaza conflict.
They can use that against you by using a foreign policy from 1952, according to NBC News. They use AI to find these things, so Instagram likes and reposts can be used against you.
One of the first pieces of advice that was brought up during the meeting was how the Department of State has been revoking nonimmigrant visas and how U.S. Embassies have been emailing students to self-deport and apply for a visa to come back.
If your visa is revoked, don’t self-deport since your visa is your key to get into the United States, not to stay here. As long as your Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record remains active, you can continue studying/working in the country as long as you are fully enrolled at the school.
Another main thing that was talked about during the travel advisory was if a student were to leave and return to the United States, they had a chance of running into a Secondary Inspection at a border entry point.
While constitutional rights are weaker at the border, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) can search your bags and conduct an electronic search. You still have the right to remain silent, but the best thing that you can do is comply with these requests.
During the Secondary Inspection, you may be brought into a room with a CBP officer and questioned. As long as you are calm and answer the questions straightforwardly, you will be fine. Be prepared: CBP officers will ask ridiculous questions to try and fish something out of you. If you don’t understand or are not sure you understand a question, you can request a translator, and they must give you one.
With these secondary stops becoming more frequent, make sure you have at least a 3-hour layover in between flights.
The advice that was hammered home was that right now may not be the best time to return home and that you should consider how important it is to leave the country if you live abroad, considering the risk.
“Right now is not a good time for traveling abroad,” said Heredia. “It’s better to stay in the country and stay low profile and not do anything that may call the attention of the authorities.”
He also mentioned during the meeting to wait until this storm has passed; hopefully, it won’t last more than six months.
For those who have not attended a session, upcoming travel advisory meetings will take place at 3 p.m. in Grand Center 103 on Wednesday, April 16; Tuesday, April 22; and Monday, April 28.
If you can’t make any of these times but have questions or inquiries, reach out to the Office of International Programs via international@ut.edu.
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Photo courtesy of Office of International Programs at The University of Tampa.