On April 9, 2025, the University of Michigan announced that 22 international students and recent graduates had their visas revoked or legal U.S. residency terminated by the federal government. The affected individuals include 12 current students and 10 recent graduates who were participating in Optional Practical Training (OPT), a legal work program for international graduates. The university stated that it was not informed of the specific reasons for the visa or SEVIS record terminations and emphasized it had not shared any identifying information with federal immigration or law enforcement agencies. UM President Santa Ono and other top administrators released a public statement expressing concern and uncertainty, and urged community support for affected individuals. The students impacted were reportedly not politically active, according to statements from the Graduate Employees’ Organization (GEO) and attorneys familiar with their cases.

Legal infractions cited in some cases include minor incidents such as traffic tickets or uncharged arrests, including a master's student from India arrested in December 2024 after a domestic dispute but never prosecuted. Immigration attorney Brad Maze and GEO secretary Orven Mallari noted that the visa actions appear inconsistent and not clearly targeted based on political activity or serious legal misconduct. The University of Michigan is one of at least eight higher education institutions in Michigan affected by broader changes in international student visa enforcement in recent days under the Trump administration. . The Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. State Department have not publicly explained the rationale behind these immigration actions, nor have they responded to media inquiries. The GEO is raising funds and calling on the university to provide increased legal and financial support to impacted students and to advocate more strongly on their behalf. . The university has advised its community to avoid interfering with federal immigration authorities on campus but to report their presence to campus police if encountered.