What UT Austin’s Legal Status Letters Mean for Students — Vi Nanthaveth on KVUE
The University of Texas at Austin has begun sending letters to certain students who do not hold permanent U.S. citizenship, requesting verification of their legal status. According to the university, these notices are intended to determine whether students qualify for in-state or out-of-state tuition. While primarily administrative, the letters have sparked concern among students and raised broader questions about privacy and compliance.
In a recent KVUE news segment, immigration attorney Vi Nanthaveth shared her perspective on the issue. She noted that while the letters themselves may not immediately signal legal consequences, there are important privacy considerations:
“It does kind of touch on the federal privacy law for these students, so there’s possibility that maybe just as a breakdown that particular portion could be something that could see the light of day as far as court is concerned, or maybe an injunction. But just to be safe, I would say start gathering these documents that I stated earlier and just have those ready to go in case they have to turn around and provide anything.”
Vi’s comments offer practical guidance for students navigating this process. Watch the full KVUE interview for details.