By ELIZABETH MILLER/Oregon Public Broadcasting
Nineteen international students attending Oregon’s three largest universities have had their visas revoked by the Department of Homeland Security, according to university officials.
They include 13 students from Oregon State University, four from University of Oregon, and two at Portland State University. In addition, one recent PSU graduate has lost visa eligibility, according to university officials.
Portland State University President Ann Cudd called the situation “deeply troubling.”
“International students are vital contributors to Portland State’s campus life and have been for decades,” Cudd shared in a Thursday afternoon message.
“We will continue to support international students and protect their ability to study here.”
Hundreds of student visas have been revoked nationally from over 100 colleges and universities as the Trump administration targets higher education and its constituents. An Inside Higher Ed map shows colleges across the country have been affected, with federal officials investigating several students for activism efforts or criminal charges.
On Thursday, a group of 86 universities signed on to an amicus brief from the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration in support of American Association of University Professors v. Rubio, a lawsuit against the federal government’s arrests and deportations of students based on their political views. Oregon State, Reed College, Western Oregon University and Eastern Oregon University all signed in support.
Lewis & Clark College, Reed College and University of Portland are among private colleges in Oregon with significant international student numbers. Officials at the Lewis & Clark and Reed colleges say they have not had any student visas revoked, but that they are monitoring the situation.
“We continue to provide support to international students, recognizing the impact of the current political climate on their physical and mental wellbeing,” said Reed chief communications officer Sheena McFarland in an email to OPB.
Citing student privacy protections, University of Portland, who has 139 international students enrolled this semester, declined to provide information about whether any students have been affected.
At Lewis & Clark College in Portland, international undergraduate students make up 7.4% of the student population, coming to the school from 83 countries. Officials there report that none of their 158 international students have had any visas canceled, though students are concerned due to national reports.
“A number of Lewis & Clark students remained on campus during spring break rather than leave the country and risk not being able to return,” Lewis & Clark officials said in an email.
- This story originally appeared April 10, 2025 on Oregon Public Broadcasting.