One immigration attorney based in Orlando said around a dozen USF students called her office after having their visas revoked at the beginning of the month, but USF will not confirm how many students have lost their status.

Attorney Madhurima Paturi from Paturi Law said some of these students had their visas revoked for “simple” traffic violations, while others had theirs revoked for dismissed criminal charges.

USF spokesperson Althea Johnson did not provide a number of how many USF students have had their visas revoked since the beginning of April.

“The University of South Florida is aware that recently some of our students and recent graduates have experienced a change in their visa status,” she said.

This makes USF students some of the over 1,500 across the country who have had their visas revoked, according to Inside Higher Ed.

Related: USF international students concerned about Trump’s travel restrictions 

The influx of visa revocations has been pushed by President Donald Trump’s administration as part of the government’s crackdown on immigration. Many of these students are losing their status for “minor infractions,” according to the Associated Press. 

But Student Body President Suryakanth Prasad Gottipati, an international student from India, said those attending USF with a student visa should not be worried.

“We believe that no student has to fear, as long as they respect the law,” Gottipati said in a statement. “We have faith in our community, one can find plenty of strength and support at USF.” 

At Florida universities, at least 18 Florida International University students and eight from the University of Florida have had their visas revoked, according to the Miami Herald.

Also at the end of March, USF’s police chief Christopher Daniel signed an agreement to participate in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement program.

Related: USF police plan to participate in immigration enforcement program – The Oracle 

Paturi said her office is handling over 300 cases across the country, with the majority of them being students from India. But she said the majority coming to her office are from India because she is from India too.

Of the roughly 1.1 million international students at American colleges and universities in 2024, many losing their student visas are from India and China, according to the AP. 

As part of her job as an immigration attorney, Paturi guides immigrants, including those with student visas, through legal processes, such as maintaining their visa status or having their visa reinstated.

She said the influx of students she saw from April 1 through 10 has never happened in her 20 years working as an immigration attorney.

She said the majority of students coming to her have had their SEVIS – or Student and Exchange Visitor Information System – status terminated, which is the agreement between the U.S. and the student.

Maintaining an active SEVIS status is contingent on a lot of different factors, such as academic and legal standing, Paturi said.

In an email from USF’s Office of International Services to the “international community at USF,” Provost Prasant Mohapatra said some USF students have faced changes in their visa status.

“USF World proactively monitors the SEVIS database,” Mohapatra wrote. “If we learn that a student’s status has changed, the university promptly notifies them and directs them to the available resources.”

But Johnson said visas can be revoked “without notice or explanation to the university.”

“If USF learns that student’s status has changed, the university works to gather as much information we can about each individual situation and we make the student aware of resources that may be available,” Johnson said.

Mohapatra pointed students toward the International Student Support Team, academic advisors and health and wellness resources.

“USF values our international students and scholars,” he wrote. “Your contributions to our university are significant, your engagement enriches our community and you are an important part of our success.”

With the recent crackdown on immigration, Paturi said her office has seen a pattern of visas being revoked for traffic violations or charges that have already been dismissed.

“We don’t see anyone got [their SEVIS status] revoked based on their academic background,” Paturi said.

She also said her office has not seen any SEVIS termination cases related to protesting on or off campus.

Related: USF student protester forced to leave the country after suspension

President Donald Trump had argued students who participated in protests to support Palestine should be deported, according to the AP.  

Paturi said it has recently been more difficult for students to have their terminated SEVIS status “reinstated.”

She said some lawsuits, especially for USF students who lost their visa just weeks before graduation, are in their early stages.