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Federal Judge Orders Reinstatement of Legal Status for Ohio State Graduate Student
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration must restore the legal status of Ahwar Sultan, a graduate student at Ohio State University, who was detained during a protest against Israel in 2024.
Sultan, originally from India, filed a civil lawsuit in D.C. District Court on April 15, asserting that his F-1 student visa was “abruptly and unlawfully terminated” by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following his participation in demonstrations focused on Israel’s military actions in Gaza. This information comes from court documents that have been made public.
During the protest on April 25, 2024, Sultan was arrested, although his legal representatives contend that all charges related to the incident were later dismissed and removed from his record.
Impact of Visa Revocations on International Students
Just a week after Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the revocation of visas for numerous foreign students, Sultan was informed by university officials that his legal status was no longer valid.
U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ruled that the Trump administration must promptly reinstate Sultan’s visa, indicating that his arrest alone cannot be grounds for altering his immigration status.
The lawsuit was initiated by Sultan in collaboration with the Students for Justice in Palestine organization at Ohio State University.
Heightened Scrutiny of Students Amid National Concerns
It is important to note that a subsequent hearing will allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to justify the legal status change and clarify any potential intention to commence removal proceedings against Sultan.
The legal action names high-ranking officials including President Donald Trump, Secretary Rubio, Attorney General Pamela Bondi, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and ICE Director Todd Lyons.
Sultan’s situation is part of a broader issue, as he is among at least a dozen students from Ohio State whose visas have recently been revoked, raising concerns about the treatment of international students participating in political activism.
Federal Decisions Part of a Larger Context
This ruling follows a recent decision by a federal judge in Georgia, who also ordered the reinstatement of legal statuses for 133 international students whose F-1 visas had been revoked by ICE and DHS.
Ohio State University has not yet responded to inquiries regarding this ruling.
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