Overview

• Federal judges in multiple states, including Massachusetts, Montana, and Wisconsin, have issued temporary restraining orders to prevent deportations and reinstate students' SEVIS records.
• More than 130 international students have joined a Georgia-based federal lawsuit, with similar cases emerging in Michigan, Indiana, and Colorado, challenging the abrupt termination of their F-1 visa statuses.
• The lawsuits allege the Department of Homeland Security violated due process and administrative law by revoking visas without proper notice or justification, often citing minor or dismissed infractions.
• Since January 20, over 4,700 students have been removed from the SEVIS database, disrupting their education and legal residency in the U.S., according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
• Universities warn the policy could harm the U.S.'s global standing in higher education, as students and institutions face uncertainty over arbitrary visa terminations.