The Trump administration announced Friday it is reinstating visas for hundreds of foreign students whose legal status had been abruptly revoked, following a wave of lawsuits and public outcry.
The move comes after more than 100 lawsuits were filed by students who suddenly lost their right to study in the US. According to Inside Higher Ed, around 1,800 students across 280 universities were affected.
Justice Department attorney Elizabeth Kurlan told a federal court that immigration authorities are now developing a new system to review and terminate student visas more carefully.
Many students targeted had either taken part in political protests or had minor criminal issues like driving offenses. Secretary of State Marco Rubio had earlier defended the revocations, saying they targeted individuals whose actions were “contrary to U.S. interests.”
The visa cancellations created panic on campuses nationwide, forcing some students to leave the US to avoid arrest or deportation. “Losing their SEVIS records left students vulnerable to immigration actions,” said Elora Mukherjee, director of Columbia Law School’s Immigrants’ Rights Clinic.
The Justice Department confirmed that students’ SEVIS records are now being restored, but warned that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) still has the power to cancel visas in other cases if students fail to maintain legal status.
While many students are relieved to have their status reinstated, legal advocates argue that the damage — including disruption of studies and emotional stress — has already been done.
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