Some students from the Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and the University of Maryland, College Park, have had their visa records terminated by the federal government, amid scrutiny from the Trump administration.

About a dozen Hopkins graduate students and recent graduates were affected, the Baltimore university announced Tuesday. Four UMBC students had their visas terminated, a spokesperson said. UMD declined to provide the number of students whose visas were revoked.

The F-1 visas are being terminated through the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The program is part of the National Security Investigations Division and helps “government organizations that have an interest in information on nonimmigrants whose primary reason for coming to the United States is to be students,” according to the division’s website.

The Trump administration has targeted students who had been involved with pro-Palestinian activism or speech, including Mahmoud Khalil, a green card holder who was a leader of protests at Columbia University.

“We have received no information about the specific basis for the revocations, but we have no indication that they are associated with free expression activities on campus,” a Hopkins statement reads. “While visa revocations require students to depart the United States, we are not aware of any arrests or detentions of Johns Hopkins students as a result of these visa actions.”In response, Hopkins is providing support to those students such as academic advising and health and wellness services through its Office of International Services, according to the school’s website.

UMBC said it’s running daily audits of its student immigration records, uncovering four record terminations by ICE. In each instance, the school immediately reached out to the affected students, some of whom plan to depart, while others have engaged immigration counsel and are exploring their options.

“Neither UMBC nor the students received any prior notification or subsequent explanation from the government, so we do not know why the terminations happened,” a UMBC spokesperson said. “We are coordinating with faculty and university leadership to ensure that students who choose to leave the U.S. are still able to complete their coursework and degree programs.”

UMD’s statement reads: “The university is aware that some international students at institutions nationwide, including UMD, have experienced the unexpected termination of their lawful status in the U.S. UMD’s International Students and Scholars Services office will continue to communicate with impacted individuals to provide information specific to their situations.”

The College Park university has had high-profile demonstrations regarding the Israel-Hamas war. Last year, the school revoked the ability of student organizations to hold on-campus demonstrations on the anniversary of the Hamas attacks in Israel after at least one group reserved a location for a vigil commemorating Palestinian victims of the war. A federal judge ruled that the event could continue.

Universities across the nation are reporting instances of international student records being terminated in the Student Exchange and Visitor Information System, according to the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, which provides information on how immigration policies and practices impact students.

On Monday, the University of Wisconsin–Madison announced the records terminations of six current students and seven alumni on employment extensions, which means they must depart the United States immediately. The school said in a statement that it wasn’t aware of federal law enforcement activity and doesn’t believe the actions are related to free speech events or political activity.

“However, the precise rationale for these terminations is unclear,” UW-Madison said.

On Friday, Stanford University announced four students and two recent graduates had their student visas revoked. The University of Pennsylvania, Duke University and Tufts University are also among the impacted schools.

Towson University, Morgan State University and the Community College of Baltimore County have not received notice of any revocations for registered international students, according to the schools.

“While some individuals have experienced delays in scheduling visa appointments at U.S. embassies abroad, these have not resulted in any significant or adverse effects on student enrollment or engagement,” a Morgan State University spokesperson said. “Our international programs, including study abroad and recruitment initiatives, continue to operate effectively and remain strong.”

Hopkins said it has a longstanding policy of not providing information about its affiliates’ immigration statuses unless required by law and not allowing access to college facilities unless mandated by a court order.

“Our most important guidance is to contact Johns Hopkins Public Safety if you should encounter immigration enforcement officers on campus,” the university’s statement says. “Public Safety will immediately coordinate with the Office of General Counsel, and is best positioned to handle the situation for the safety and wellbeing of all involved.”

On Feb. 1, general counsel offices for the university and the Johns Hopkins Health Systems sent a memo to staff instructing them not to intervene if federal law enforcement officers detain someone on campus.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.

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