UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk says six current students and six former students participating in a training program have had their visas revoked by the U.S. government.

“In recent days, a number of international students on F-1 status at universities across the nation have had their visas revoked and Student and Exchange Visitor Information System status terminated by the federal government. These actions have understandably created a great deal of questions within our Bruin community,” Frenk said Sunday, April 6, in a letter to the campus community.

“As your chancellor, I will always strive to keep you informed on important situations. To that end, here is what we currently know: During a routine audit of SEVIS records, UCLA officials learned that the Student and Exchange Visitor Program had terminated the SEVIS status of six current students. SEVP also terminated the status of six former students currently participating in the Optional Practical Training program. These numbers are fluid and may change.

“The termination notices indicate that all terminations were due to violations of the terms of the individuals’ visa programs. At this time, UCLA is not aware of any federal law enforcement activity on campus related to these terminations,” Frenk continued.

“We recognize that these actions can bring feelings of tremendous uncertainty and anxiety to our community. We want our immigrant and international UCLA students, staff and faculty to know we support your ability to work, learn, teach and thrive here.

“… I continue to meet almost daily with UC President Michael Drake and my fellow chancellors in the UC system to prepare for — and respond to —any federal policy changes. I am also in constant contact with senior leaders on campus. We remain committed to supporting our students as we abide by the law. We will continue to keep you updated on pertinent developments with the safety and well-being of our Bruin community remaining our utmost priority,” the letter added.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order in January that threatened to revoke the visas of students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests last spring amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. UCLA was the site of some of those demonstrations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on March 27 that the government had revoked the visas of 300 international students studying in the United States. Dozens of those apparently affected students at California schools.

“The University of California is aware that international students across several of our campuses have been impacted by recent SEVIS terminations. This is a fluid situation, and we continue to monitor and assess its implications for the UC community and the people affected,” the UC said in a statement issued Friday. “We are committed to doing what we can to support all members of our community as they exercise their rights under the law. In doing that, the University will continue to follow all applicable state and federal laws.”

Frenk’s response came as some campus leaders urged the school to take an aggressive response to the revocations, including Gaye Theresa Johnson and Sherene Razack, who co-chair the school’s Task Force on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Muslim Racism. The pair sent a letter to Frenk and Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Darnell Hunt on Sunday.

“We write as the Task Force on Anti-Palestinian, Anti-Arab, and Anti-Muslim Racism to express our growing alarm regarding UCLA’s response to the recent revocation of visas held by nine UCLA international students. These revocations follow similar and more extreme actions nation-wide, such as termination of legal status for international students and scholars on visas, and detention and deportation of international students without warning. Students who have spoken in support of Palestinian human rights have been specifically targeted, as have students from countries that the Federal government has deemed to be adversaries of the United States,” the letter states.

“… With no comment or instruction from the UCLA administration thus far, there is growing concern that students are unprotected.”

The letter asked UCLA leadership to take several steps, including:

— issuing a public statement reassuring the campus community that every effort will be made to protect students;

— ensuring that international students remain enrolled in the event of a visa revocation;

— allowing students who have had their visa status revoked to continue their studies remotely if necessary;

— communicating reliable information to international students in a timely manner;

— providing legal resources to affected students;

— determining and sharing with the Task Force the specific grounds of visa revocation;

— challenging the Department of Homeland Security for its “failure to follow due process”;

— refusing to provide information about students to the government.

Theresa Johnson is an associate professor for the Department of Chicana/o and Central American Studies and associate director of the Ralph J. Bunche Center for African American Studies. Razack is a professor and the Penny Kanner Endowed Chair in Women’s Studies.