NCAAB News: Geno Auriemma shares his thoughts on student-athletes losing their U.S. visas

The new transfer portal rules and NIL deals have hit college sports, including college basketball. Now, another issue threatens the status quo, as multiple athletes have had their visas revoked under the Donald Trump administration.

Of course, that’s something that Geno Auriemma and the UConn Huskies will take quite seriously. They had Egyptian player Jana El Alffy on their roster last season, and they will add more international players for next year: Gandy Malou-Mamel of Ireland and Blanca Quiñonez of Ecuador.

That’s why, now that UConn announced that the federal government revoked the visas of 13 members of the community, including 12 students, coach Auriemma had to share his thoughts on this delicate matter.

Geno Auriemma opens up on deportations

“Yeah, you can’t control it. And once again, it’s a strange world we live in, right?” Auriemma said. “You do everything right, and then all of a sudden you’re told, that doesn’t work anymore. I don’t get it. Thank God I became a citizen in 1994, huh? I’d be the first coach deported. It’s a weird time to be in the U.S. But I’m confident that whether it’s with Jana or Blanca, or whoever else down the road, that the goal is to go after the bad people. I don’t think you’re going to find any on my team.”

Geno Auriemma

Auriemma was born in Italy and entered the country at just seven years old. He’s had a myriad of international recruits since he joined the program almost four decades ago.

Per CNN, more than 500 students, researchers, and faculty staff members have had their visas revoked all over the country since the current administration took office.