Visas Revoked for IU Graduate Workers; IGWC Plans Emergency Rally

Staff report

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — The Department of Homeland Security has revoked the visas of several international graduate workers at Indiana University, according to a statement released Tuesday by the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition (IGWC). The coalition is organizing an emergency rally at noon on Wednesday, April 10, to demand action from IU officials.

The IGWC, which advocates for graduate employee rights at IU, called the visa cancellations a direct threat to the safety, livelihood, and academic futures of international students who serve as Associate Instructors, Research Assistants, and other academic employees on campus.

“We strongly condemn the unjust treatment of international students here at IU as well as those being targeted around the country,” said Ann Campbell, a graduate worker in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science and Medicine. “The IGWC will do everything in its power to protect all its members. An injury to one is an injury to us all.”

According to the IGWC, the visa cancellations are part of a broader pattern affecting international students nationwide. The group cited reports of international students in other parts of the country being detained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after engaging in peaceful protest or other First Amendment activities.

“International students are terrified,” said one affected IU graduate worker, who requested anonymity due to fear of retaliation. “Some of us are thousands of miles away from home, family, and resources. We are afraid to be in our apartments in the event that authorities come knocking on our doors. We hope that IU does the right thing and protects its most vulnerable members.”

The coalition is demanding that IU offer emergency academic leave to impacted students and publicly outline how they can continue their degree programs despite the visa disruptions.

As of publication, The Bloomingtonian reached out to Indiana University for comment but has not received a response.

The IGWC was formed in 2019 to advocate for higher pay and reduced fees for graduate workers. The group led a four-week strike in 2022 that ended with significant financial concessions from the university. IGWC represents approximately 2,400 graduate workers on the Bloomington campus.

For students seeking emergency resources, IGWC has shared a resource page at https://linktr.ee/btownknowyourrights.

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