US Court Temporarily Restores Legal Status Of 133 Students, Majority Indians
In a significant win for international students, a federal court in Georgia has temporarily reinstated the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records for 133 students whose visa statuses were abruptly terminated by the US Department of State and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Most of these students are Indian nationals, many of whom were pursuing academic or post-graduate training programs in the United States under the F-1 visa and Optional Practical Training (OPT) scheme.
The court ruling, issued on April 18, 2025, offers temporary relief while a larger legal battle unfolds against what has been described as an overreaching crackdown by the Trump administration on international students. The court’s temporary restraining order directed the US government to restore the SEVIS status of these students by April 22, allowing them to remain in the country legally while the case proceeds.
The affected students had filed a lawsuit after discovering their SEVIS records were terminated without proper notice, leaving them in a legal limbo and subject to deportation. SEVIS is a mandatory online tracking system used by US schools and the government to monitor the status and compliance of international students. Once a student is removed from SEVIS, their visa is automatically invalidated, and they are considered to be unlawfully present in the US.
Attorney Charles Kuck, representing the students, confirmed that all plaintiffs are now reinstated and allowed to resume their studies or employment under the OPT program. The next hearing in the case is expected soon, and the outcome could have broader implications for thousands of international students across the US.
The Trump administration’s actions are part of a larger immigration crackdown that has been underway since the beginning of the year. According to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), ICE has terminated SEVIS records for a staggering 4,736 international students since January 20, 2025. Indians represent the majority of those affected, followed by students from China, Nepal, South Korea, and Bangladesh.
AILA has criticized the government’s tactics, pointing out that in most of the cases, students were penalized for minor infractions like traffic tickets or alleged breaches of university regulations. In many instances, there were no criminal convictions, and the affected students maintained good academic standing.
The lawsuit acknowledged that while some of the 133 plaintiffs had interactions with law enforcement, none had criminal convictions, and yet they faced severe administrative actions that threatened their futures. The court recognized the urgency of the matter, considering the academic calendars and the students' right to due process.
Many of the affected students were engaged in OPT, a temporary work authorization program that allows international graduates, particularly from STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) fields, to gain practical experience in their area of study. The OPT program has long been a lifeline for students seeking employment opportunities in the US after graduation, and has been especially popular among Indian students.
The sudden and sweeping cancellations caused widespread panic, especially within the Indian student community, which constitutes the second-largest group of international students in the US. Social media was flooded with stories of students receiving deportation notices, being removed from campus housing, or forced to abandon their jobs and internships with little or no warning.
Legal experts argue that the administration’s approach reflects a systemic attempt to reduce international student presence in the US under the guise of enforcing immigration compliance. Critics have accused the Trump administration of creating a hostile environment for immigrants and students alike, with arbitrary policy shifts and lack of transparency in enforcement.
This case marks a critical legal challenge to those policies and may pave the way for more international students to defend their rights through the judicial system. The temporary restraining order may also prompt academic institutions and immigrant advocacy groups to demand clearer guidelines and fairer processes for managing student visa compliance.
For now, the reinstatement offers a much-needed reprieve to the 133 students involved, enabling them to continue their educational or professional journeys without the immediate threat of deportation. But with thousands of others still impacted and future policy changes uncertain, the fight for student rights in the US is far from over.
The outcome of the upcoming court proceedings will be closely watched by students, educational institutions, and immigrant communities alike. At a time when global talent mobility is critical for innovation and academic excellence, ensuring due process and fair treatment for international students is not just a legal matter, but a moral and economic imperative.