(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 4/8/25) — The Philadelphia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today expressed grave concern and outrage following reports that more than 300 international students across the country have had their student visas revoked by the Department of Homeland Security and are being ordered to leave the United States.
SEE: Trump takes aim at foreign-born college students, with 300 visas revoked
Among those impacted are students from Pennsylvania and Delaware universities — including Temple, University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University and the University of Delaware — whose visas were abruptly terminated without warning. This sweeping action comes amid growing fears that the Trump administration is targeting international students — particularly those engaged in political activism around Palestine — for exercising their constitutionally protected First Amendment rights.
“The Trump administration has declared a war against constitutionally protected, First Amendment rights,” said CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu, “if students are to be punished for standing up for human rights, this is not only unconstitutional but also un-American. These politically motivated revocations seek to instill fear among international students of all backgrounds.”
CAIR-Philadelphia is working in collaboration with impacted students, campus groups, and partner legal organizations to investigate the scope of the visa cancellations and to offer advocacy and legal support.
“We urge university officials, elected leaders, and civil society to stand firmly with international students targeted for their advocacy,” said Tekelioglu. “No one should face deportation for raising their voice against injustice.”
Students or community members impacted by visa revocations or related intimidation can contact CAIR-Philadelphia’s legal team by filling out an intake form at pa.cair.com/report
Last week, CAIR issued a guidance on travel and free speech rights in light of recent developments: pa.cair.com/travelspeechfaq
Last month, CAIR released its 2025 Civil Rights Report, “Unconstitutional Crackdowns,” which reveals that Islamophobia continues to be at an all-time high across the country. The report found that viewpoint discrimination against those speaking out against genocide and apartheid was a key factor in many cases.
In addition to legal support, CAIR-Philadelphia encourages students, staff, and faculty to report discriminatory campus environments through CAIR’s “Hostile Campuses” initiative, which tracks institutions where individuals have been targeted for opposing occupation, apartheid, or genocide. Campuses can be submitted for review at islamophobia.org/reportcampus.
CAIR is America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
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CONTACT: CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Ahmet Tekelioglu, atekelioglu@cair.com, 617-401-5397.
