In a major victory for legal immigration oversight, the Trump administration has announced it will reinstate active visa status for thousands of foreign students whose records were recently terminated.
Trump Administration Responds to Legal Pressure with Visa Reinstatements
On Friday, the Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that thousands of foreign students will have their active status reinstated after recent enforcement actions. The decision follows a wave of lawsuits challenging the sudden visa terminations.
Miriam Feldblum, president of the Presidents’ Alliance, one of the groups behind the legal challenges, argued the government’s move does not erase the broader harm. In a statement to Newsweek, she said,
“Reactivating records does not eliminate the original policy’s negative impacts or the risk of future harm.”
Homeland Security Clarifies: No Blanket Visa Reversal
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) clarified that while students’ records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) are being reactivated, no actual visa revocations have been reversed.
Approximately 5,000 students had their legal status threatened, sparking around 100 lawsuits nationwide. Many students had no criminal charges, or only minor infractions such as traffic tickets.
ICE Developing New Policy for SEVIS Record Terminations
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Carilli told a federal court that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is currently crafting a formal policy to guide future SEVIS terminations. Until then, all plaintiffs and similarly affected students will have their SEVIS records restored to active status.
SEVIS is the critical DHS database that tracks foreign students studying legally in the United States, primarily on F-1 visas.
Enforcement actions began nearly two months ago, initially focusing on high-profile individual cases before expanding.
Visa Restoration Ordered by Federal Judges
The Trump administration’s decision comes after recent federal court rulings, including a Georgia judge’s order last week restoring 133 students’ visas.
In a separate case Friday, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan ordered the reinstatement of Ahwar Sultan’s visa. Sultan, a graduate student at Ohio State University, was arrested at a pro-Palestinian rally. The charges were later dismissed, and the judge found the visa revocation unjustified.
DHS Officials Emphasize Enforcement Authority
Tricia McLaughlin, DHS Assistant Secretary, stressed that while SEVIS access is being restored, ICE maintains full authority to enforce immigration laws and terminate status for students who violate regulations.
In her words, “We have not reversed any visa revocations. We restored SEVIS access for students whose visas were not officially revoked.”
Immigration Experts React to Policy Shift
Charles Kuck, a prominent immigration attorney based in Atlanta, called the move a recognition of past missteps by ICE but warned of ongoing concerns: “It’s good ICE acknowledged their errors, but repairing the damage—lost job offers, lost opportunities—remains unresolved.”
What’s Next for Student Visa Policy?
Carilli confirmed Friday that similar status restorations will be filed in student visa cases across the country, suggesting the Trump administration remains committed to lawful immigration enforcement while correcting procedural issues.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Trump administration continues to uphold law and order, even while facing relentless legal challenges.