Stop the wrongful removal of student's visas for speaking out

silencing students won't silence injusitce

Across the United States, students have faced detention and deportation simply for exercising their right to protest.

Many of these students had spoken our against the war on Gaza and the U.S government's role in supporting the Israeli authorities' ongoing genocide against Palestinians in the occupied Gaza strip.

Earlier this year, US immigration authorities wrongfully arrested and detained at least ten students. All are known to have been targeted for using their right to protest.

These incidents are part of a broader, deeply troubling crackdown on student activism and dissent, echoing a pattern we are also seeing on campuses here in the UK.

This is a warning to the world: our hard won rights can be lost overnight.

Now, more than ever, we need political leaders who refuse to remain silent in the face of the Trump administration’s human rights abuses. The right to protest, organise, speak out must be defended - across borders.

Email the US Secretary of Homeland Security to demand US authorities stop the wrongful removal of students’ visas and residency status and respect their human rights.

5

Help us get to 5,000

Email the US Secretary of Homeland Security now.

Edit

Add your voice:

First Name

Last Name

Mobile number (optional)

Enter your mobile number to get actions like this by text. You can unsubscribe at any time. We’ll also call you about ways to support our work, including fundraising. Text NOCALL to 70505 to opt out. Terms & conditions.

Are you 18 or over? Yes No

We're at a crucial point in the campaign – make sure you click 'yes' to join our email list and get updates about this and other campaigns, fundraising appeals, events and the impact we have together. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Yes No

Your Excellency,

I am writing regarding the recent trend of targeting foreign students for repression, detention and potential deportation for either their activities in protests, speaking out in support of Palestinian rights and against the ongoing war crimes and genocide in the occupied Gaza Strip, or due to their backgrounds.

All students, faculty and staff have the rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and due process and to be free from discrimination. However, following the detention of Mahmoud Khalil on 8 March and the revocation of his residency status, the US government revoked the student visas of seven identified individuals and is seeking to revoke the residency status of at least two other students who protested or spoke up about the conflict in the occupied Gaza Strip under an obscure and rarely used provision of immigration law. At least 1300 additional students are known to have had their visas revoked.

However, many of these students never received notice of the revocation, nor did they participate in any protest or expressive activity on campus. Some students may have been targeted due to having committed minor crimes such as traffic violations. According to a lawsuit filed on behalf of students, many were targeted because of their country of origin, particularly those from African, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and Asian background.

These repressive tactics and the summary revocation of people’s immigration status, whether due to their speech and protest activities or their country of origin, demonstrate an utter lack of respect for their human rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, due process and to be free from discrimination.

I urge you to restore the visas and immigration status of these students and visitors, release all students from immigration detention, refrain from deporting any of them, and end the targeting of students based on their immigration statuses and for exercising their human rights.

Required

Your information will be held by Amnesty International UK Section and Amnesty International UK Section Charitable Trust. We will never sell or swap your personal information with anyone else. For campaign petitions, we may display your first name and last name on the petition when we hand it in to the individual or group to whom it is addressed. Read more about how we use your information at amnesty.org.uk/privacy-notice

Accessibility

Text size

Line height

Contrast

Stop the wrongful removal of student's visas for speaking out

Across the United States, students have faced detention and deportation simply for exercising their right to protest.

5

Help us get to 5,000

Add your voice:

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, !name.

Thank you, you’re amazing

Thank you, you’re amazing

NO PROBLEM !name!

NO PROBLEM !name!

THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT, !name.

THANKS! CLICK TO SHARE

THANKS FOR SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT, !name

THANKS FOR SHOWING YOUR SUPPORT, !name

NO PROBLEM !name

NO PROBLEM !name

Email the US Secretary of Homeland Security now.

Stop the wrongful removal of student's visas for speaking out

Across the United States, students have faced detention and deportation simply for exercising their right to protest.

5

Help us get to 5,000

Add your voice: