A wave of outrage has swept through the Webster Groves community following reports that more than 20 Webster University international students had their visas revoked or their student exchange records terminated. As the news circulated among members of a private Facebook group, Webster Groves Community Connection, users flooded the comments.
“This is infuriating!!” wrote a former neighbor of Webster University who once rented rooms to international students. “I wanted them to feel safe and have a more home-like experience. That couldn’t happen now … at minimal (sic) it’s targeted discrimination. Makes me sick!”
Other users echoed her concern.
“Do we need to start hiding students in our attics?” asked another.
“I wonder how Webster even got on their radar,” one woman mused, adding, “It’s such an earnest, peaceful community of scholars.”
Some neighbors encouraged action.
“I think it’s time for a countrywide walkout,” one woman wrote. “Everyone just don’t go to work. Or maybe all businesses just stop collecting taxes.”
Some others directed their anger at the administration.
“Are we great yet??” asked a woman, in reference to a Trump campaign slogan.
At least one comment expressed concern for the university’s overall wellbeing.
“International students are the financial backbone of institutions of higher learning,” the user wrote. “Webster University cannot afford this. Of course Trump could not care less.”
In November, Webster received a financial distress designation by the Higher Learning Commission. The audit, based on fiscal year 2023, determined there was a risk of “going concern” for the university due to its financial status.
As of fall 2024, Webster had 2,646 international students at its St. Louis campus. More than 3,000 of the university’s international students are graduate students.
Several involved in the discussion saw the visa revocations at Webster, which became public April 11, as part of a broader political trend, with comments such as “Jesus Christ, this place is in the shitter… fast-tracked to fascism and a dictatorship” and “And it begins… that’s what they voted for.”
None of the comments appeared to be in support of the crackdown.
In an earlier statement to The Journal, the university’s director of public relations, Patrick Giblin, said that Webster is working closely with impacted students and is trying to get further information from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program regarding next steps.
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