USA17 May, 20263 min read
Trump Administration Revokes Visas Of 14 International Students From Louisiana Universities
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Trump administration revoked 14 international student visas from four Louisiana universities. Action cited protests, past misconduct, or alleged antiemetic behavior as basis.
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Visa revocations in Louisiana
The Trump administration revoked the visas of 14 international students from four universities in Louisiana, joining a list of hundreds of students across the country facing measures tied to past protests, criminal activity, or alleged anti-Semitic behavior. The Louisiana Illuminator was the first to report the revocations, and the universities’ representatives said seven students from the University Southern had their visas revoked, including three from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette, two from the University of New Orleans, and two from the University of Tulane. Inside Higher Ed said it had identified more than 1000 international students and newly graduates whose legal status changed suddenly, while the article said lawyers for many of the students alleged they were attacked for their speeches.
The Louisiana Illuminator reported that the University Southern did not receive any explanation for the revocations, and its spokesperson Janene Tate said she could not reveal the students’ names or the exact dates, citing the Ley Federal de Derechos Educativos y Privacidad Familiar. The same article said Tulane’s spokesperson Mike Strecker stated that two students’ visas were revoked "debido a arrestos penales previos no relacionados con ninguna actividad de protesta".
Constitutional amendments rejected
In Louisiana’s May 16 election, voters rejected all five proposed constitutional amendments backed by Gov. Jeff Landry, including a measure that would have provided a permanent pay raise for public school teachers.
Shreveport Times reported that Amendment No. 1 failed 78% to 27%, Amendment No. 2 failed 64% to 36%, and Amendment No. 3 failed 58% to 42%.
The same Shreveport Times account said Amendment No. 4 failed 66% to 34% and Amendment No. 5 failed 73% to 23%, handing the Legislature and Gov. Jeff Landry a resounding defeat.
WWNO said nearly 800,000 Louisianians voted in the May 16 election and that voters rejected all five state constitutional amendments put forward by Gov. Jeff Landry.
WWNO’s results section showed Amendment 3 would have funded a $2,250 teacher pay raise and a $1,125 support staff pay raise, but voters rejected it with 465,180 votes against (58%).
What happens next for schools
With the amendments failing, NOLA said Louisiana teachers stand to lose a $2,000 stipend they have received over the past several years, and the state’s business inventory tax will remain untouched.
NOLA also said the city of St. George in East Baton Rouge Parish will not get its own school district, and that the mandatory retirement age for judges will remain set at 70 instead of increasing to 75.
The Louisiana Illuminator reported that Amendment 3 was meant to guarantee educators a pay raise, but without the amendment passing teachers and school staff now face a pay cut.
The Louisiana Illuminator quoted Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, saying, "If the public doesn’t vote to give [teachers] a pay raise, then that means they don’t want to give them a pay raise," and it described the amendment’s mechanism as dissolving three education trusts funds to pay off employee retirement debt early.
The Hill’s account said that after the constitutional amendment failed, the mandatory retirement age for judges will stay at 70, and it included EBR Schools Superintendent LaMont Cole’s statement that "Tonight’s outcome reflects the will of the voters".