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The U.S. government has announced a reversal of recent actions terminating the legal status of many international students, following numerous court challenges to the Trump administration’s policies aimed at stricter immigration enforcement. Federal officials confirmed this decision on Friday.
In recent weeks, records in a federal student database managed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had been marked inactive, impacting over 1,200 students. Many were left vulnerable to deportation, often without understanding the reasons behind their designation. Some students chose to leave the country, while others went into hiding or ceased attending classes.
Government Commits to Restore Student Status
In federal court in Oakland, California, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Kurlan stated that ICE would restore the student status of individuals whose records were recently terminated. A similar announcement was made in a separate Washington case, according to attorney Brian Green, who represents the plaintiffs in that matter. Green shared a government statement confirming this shift.
The statement emphasized, “ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations. Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records for plaintiffs in this case—and others similarly situated—will remain active or will be re-activated if currently inactive. ICE will not modify the record solely based on the NCIC finding that resulted in the recent SEVIS record termination.”
SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems) is the database that tracks international students’ visa compliance. The NCIC (National Crime Information Center) is a database of information overseen by the FBI.
Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant Homeland Security secretary, clarified that ICE had not reversed any visa revocations but had restored access to SEVIS for individuals without revoked visas. However, uncertainty persists. Greg Chen from the American Immigration Lawyers Association noted the ambiguity regarding whether ICE would restore status to all affected students and the potential role of the State Department in rectifying wrongful visa revocations.
Future Legal Battles Likely
Green, representing numerous students in legal proceedings, indicated he would withdraw his cases as a result of ICE’s recent statement, which sought to ensure the restoration of student status. Nonetheless, attorneys in the Oakland case are still pushing for a nationwide injunction that would prevent the government from detaining students or transferring them out of their districts, thereby allowing them to continue their education and work opportunities.
Pam Johann, a government attorney, argued that it was premature to issue such an order while ICE works to reactivate records and formulate a policy. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White urged the government to clarify its new policy, describing the situation as rapidly changing.
Confusion Surrounding Visa Revocations
In a recent statement, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that his department would revoke visas of individuals acting against national interests, which included protests related to Israel’s actions in Gaza and individuals facing criminal charges. However, many students whose statuses were terminated claimed they did not belong to those categories.
A recent survey conducted by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research revealed significant public disapproval of the visa revocations, particularly among students involved in pro-Palestinian protests. Approximately 50% of U.S. adults opposed this policy, with stronger opposition among college-educated individuals.
Students filing lawsuits reported violations of their due process rights, often learning of their terminated status through routine checks by school officials in the international student database. The abrupt nature of these terminations has led to widespread confusion and distress within academic institutions.
Charles Kuck, representing students in Atlanta, emphasized that the government’s reversal cannot erase the hardships endured. Many students lost jobs, missed academic opportunities, and faced adverse educational outcomes, such as failing courses or not graduating.
Jodie Ferise, a higher education attorney, reported that some international students, fearful of potential repercussions, left the country after receiving directives for self-deportation. She warned that such treatment could severely impact future international student enrollment in U.S. institutions, signaling a clear message of unwelcomeness.
Recent analysis revealed that at least 1,220 students from 187 colleges and universities had experienced visa revocations or terminations of their legal status since late March, as reported by an Associated Press review of institutional statements and court records. The AP continues to gather information on additional students affected by the government’s crackdown.
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globalnews.ca