ST. LOUIS – Universities around the St. Louis area report that dozens of international students have had their student visas revoked.

“I have received countless calls. Maybe 10 days ago is when it started,” immigration attorney David Cox said.

So far, at least 18 students at Webster University and another nine at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are affected.

“There is nothing normal about what has taken place in the last several weeks for students who have had their status revoked. The pace, the numbers, the reasons are all unique to this moment,” Cox said.

A senior DHS official told FOX 2 News, “This process is nothing new and is part of longstanding protocol and program.”

That same official says there are several reasons a visa could be revoked, including suspension or expulsion, failing to maintain status, or not enrolling in a full course load.

But Cox and fellow immigration attorney Dan Rhoads say the reason for some recent revocations hasn’t been made clear yet. It has left some to speculate it could be related to student protests and speech related to the Israeli Palestinian conflict.

“You can’t lose a right based on something you said or a point of view that you hold. The difficult part about these cases is it is not clear how immigration and First Amendment laws are to be read and applied together and that’s an issue, it’s going to have to be decided by the supreme court,” Rhoads said.

Cox is taking on very few of these cases, feeling they are nearly impossible to win.

“I don’t think it’s fair for me to charge money and file a reinstatement claim with the same authority that’s been told to start this problematic cycle to begin with,” Cox said.

DHS says affected students will typically be given 10 days to leave the country voluntarily.