In a growing legal battle, more than 130 international students across America have joined a federal lawsuit claiming that their student visas were unfairly and suddenly revoked by U.S. immigration authorities, reported by Arab News.
The lawsuit, originally filed by 17 students on April 11 in Georgia, accuses the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency of illegally removing them from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). The removal has left many students vulnerable to arrest, detention, or even deportation—despite following legal procedures to stay in the country.
Since then, 116 more students have stepped forward to join the case, which comes during a broader immigration crackdown under former President Donald Trump’s policies.
The students say they were given no proper reason for the cancellations. Some suspect minor past incidents, like traffic violations or dismissed charges, may have been used unfairly against them. One Chinese PhD student at Georgia Tech believes a closed traffic offense may have led to his visa loss. Another Indian student from New York Institute of Technology said he had been cleared of shoplifting charges, yet still had his visa canceled.
The lawsuit names top federal officials, including the U.S. Attorney General and the Homeland Security Secretary, and asks for all visas to be restored. The students remain unnamed in the filing due to fear of retaliation.
The case highlights rising tension between American universities and federal immigration rules, with schools being threatened with cuts to federal funding if they don’t comply. As campuses reel from the impact, students now fear their academic futures—and legal standing—are at risk.
