Two NC State graduate students have left the country after the U.S. State Department revoked their visas. The Office of International Services notified the two students, who both studied in the College of Engineering, that the U.S. government had terminated their student visas last week. OIS confirmed the terminations in a statement April 1.
The statement said the University did not issue the terminations but advised the students of their options once it became aware.
“NC State did not initiate these terminations and was not directly notified of these changes,” the statement read. “Our Office of International Services (OIS) contacted the students to advise them about the potential consequences of these changes and provide resources for them. OIS staff also contacted government officials to confirm the terminations.”
University spokesperson Mick Kulikowski said the University has nothing to add to the OIS statement.
Saleh Al Gurad is one of the students whose visa was terminated, according to his roommate Philip Vasto, a fourth-year studying chemical engineering. The NC State directory lists Al Gurad as a graduate student in the engineering management program and a University Dining employee. At the time of publication, Al Gurad has not responded to Technician’s request for comment. The second student has not been identified publicly.
The terminations come after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced Thursday that the State Department had revoked more than 300 student visas. Vasto said Al Gurad was notified by OIS Thursday evening, and he never communicated with the federal government directly.
Vasto said both Al Gurad and the other student are from Saudi Arabia, and OIS connected them after being notified of their visa terminations. After consulting with immigration attorneys, their country’s embassy and other contacts from home, both students decided to return rather than risk deportation.
While Vasto said various legal experts informed Al Gurad of the appeal process, he ultimately felt that it would be better to do so from his home country. Vasto said Al Gurad notified him he had made it home Sunday.
“He seemed just very weary by the whole situation and after speaking with the other [student], and also speaking with his contacts back home … they told him, ‘File the appeal from Saudi Arabia, if you’re going to do that at all,’” Vasto said.
Vasto said Al Gurad did not understand why his visa was terminated and the State Department had not provided a reason for the decision.
“He was very, very deeply frustrated,” Vasto said. “He told me that he was thinking about it, and he kept pondering it over and over again. But to him, it didn’t make any sense, because he said, ‘First of all, I’m hardly on social media.’ That’s first and foremost. ‘Second of all, I’m not writing, and I’m not posting anything.’ And then, thirdly, his social media page is very private.”
Hoang Lam, an immigration attorney at Student Legal Services, said in an email that the Trump administration is pursuing deportation on two legal grounds.
“1) A noncitizen whose presence or activities in the United States the Secretary of State has reasonable ground[s] to believe would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences for the United States,” Lam wrote. “2) Authority of the Secretary of State to revoke a nonimmigrant visa, such as international student visa[s]. Once the visa is revoked, the subject is deportable. Whether the Secretary’s discretion to revoke a visa is unlimited or subject to judicial review for arbitrariness will likely be litigated.”
Vasto said Al Gurad had not been in legal trouble in the U.S. and did not drive, never receiving so much as a traffic citation.
“He just minded his business, and he went to class,” Vasto said. “I can speak for him on that behalf, in the sense of, he didn’t know too many people on this campus, and he kept a very low profile.”
OIS said it is concerned by the situation and is committed to supporting both students through the changes.
“We are deeply concerned about the lack of communication from federal agencies and the impact of these actions on our international students,” the statement read. “We are committed to assisting these two students in any way we can, including completing the semester from abroad. Our NC State international students, faculty and staff remain critically important members of our community and we deeply value the talent, ideas and insight that they bring to our campus.”
