SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The U.S. government has decided to reverse the termination of legal status for international students, a move that follows numerous court challenges against a crackdown initiated by the Trump administration. Federal officials confirmed the change on Friday, stating that many students whose legal status had been abruptly revoked would see their records restored.
In recent weeks, over 1,200 students across the nation reported losing their legal status or having their visas revoked, leaving many susceptible to deportation. Students had claimed that their infractions were minor or that they were unaware of the reasons behind their targeting. Some were forced to leave the country, while others went into hiding or stopped attending classes entirely.
Lawyers representing the government in several lawsuits communicated the policy reversal. A statement from a government lawyer indicated that the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency is developing a framework for handling Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems (SEVIS) record terminations. This means that the SEVIS records for affected students would either remain active or be reactivated, and that ICE would not modify these records based solely on recent findings from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).
Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant Homeland Security secretary, clarified that while ICE had not reversed any visa revocations, the agency would restore SEVIS access for individuals who had not faced revocation of their visas. Many educational institutions reported that legal status for some students had already been restored, although uncertainty lingered regarding the status of all targeted individuals.
Greg Chen from the American Immigration Lawyers Association pointed out that it remains unclear whether ICE will restore status for every affected student or if the State Department would assist those whose visas were wrongfully revoked. Brian Green, a lawyer involved in lawsuits for several dozen students, indicated he would withdraw his cases seeking restoration of student status based on the new statement from ICE.
In parallel, lawyers in a separate Oakland case are pursuing a nationwide order to prevent the government from arresting or deporting students or disrupting their ability to work or study. During a court session, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White asked for clarity regarding the new policy, suggesting a perception of constant changes in the administration’s approach to immigration.
Complications surrounding visa revocations and student status terminations have caused confusion and distress among international students. Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced visa revocations for individuals perceived to act against national interests, including some affiliated with pro-Palestinian protests. However, many students affected by these terminations denied that they fell into such categories.
A survey from the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research showed that a significant portion of U.S. adults oppose the visa revocation policy, highlighting public sentiment on the issue. In various lawsuits, students contended that they were denied due process, often informed that their status was terminated after criminal records checks.
Legal representatives, such as Charles Kuck, who filed a case on behalf of 133 students, lamented that ICE's recent reversal could not compensate for the hardships faced during the tumultuous weeks preceding this announcement. Students experienced job losses, missed academic opportunities, and heightened fears about their status and future in the U.S.
Some students had already left the country in fear of deportation following previous instructions to self-deport. Legal professionals are concerned that this unprecedented handling of student status could discourage international student enrollment, with potential long-term impacts on educational institutions. Reports suggest that at least 1,220 students across 187 colleges, universities, and educational systems faced visa revocations or status terminations since late March, indicating the extensive scale of the situation.
