Trump Retreats in Legal Battle Over Student Visas Cancellation/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ The Trump administration has reversed its stance in a legal battle over ICE’s move to cancel SEVIS records of international students. Following lawsuits and mounting court pressure, the DOJ announced reinstatement of the affected records. ICE will now develop a formal policy for handling future terminations of student visa data.
Trump Retreats in Student Visa Legal Fight: Quick Looks
- Reversal Announced: The Trump administration has backed down from efforts to cancel international student visa records through ICE.
- SEVIS Record Reinstatement: The Department of Justice said Friday it will reinstate SEVIS records for students who sued the administration.
- Court Pressure: Judges were preparing to compel ICE testimony when the reversal was announced.
- ICE Policy Coming: ICE will develop a new framework to handle future SEVIS terminations more consistently.
- Legal Concerns: Lawsuits argued students’ immigration statuses were wrongfully terminated despite no charges or dismissed cases.
- Visa Status Still in Limbo: The Department of State’s cancellation of student visas remains unaffected by the ICE policy shift.
Trump Retreats in Legal Battle Over Student Visas Cancellation
Deep Look
In a significant shift, the Trump administration has withdrawn from a contentious legal dispute involving the status of thousands of international students in the U.S. This comes after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month attempted to cancel SEVIS records—the database used to monitor student visa compliance—of numerous international students, citing alleged “criminal history.” The terminations included students who were never charged or had cases dismissed, prompting lawsuits across the country.
The affected students argued that ICE’s actions effectively terminated their immigration status, despite the absence of any formal immigration proceedings. At the time, Justice Department attorneys were unwilling or unable to clarify the full impact of the record cancellations in federal court, leading multiple judges to consider placing ICE officials on the witness stand for direct questioning.
However, on Friday, the Department of Justice abruptly notified both courts and legal representatives for the students that it was reversing its position. In a statement, DOJ confirmed that the student SEVIS records under dispute would be reinstated for those who had sued the administration.
ICE, the statement said, “is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations,” aiming to bring greater consistency and transparency to the process.
Though the move represents a win for international students, it does not fully resolve their immigration status. The Department of State’s independent decisions to cancel certain student visas remain unaffected by the SEVIS record reinstatements.
The original ICE action had raised concerns across academic institutions and immigration advocates, who warned that the lack of due process and transparency jeopardized not only students’ legal standing but also their academic and professional futures.
The administration’s backtracking appears aimed at avoiding court testimony that could have revealed internal missteps and further eroded support for President Trump’s tough-on-immigration stance. Still, the development raises broader questions about the administration’s future approach to international education and student visa enforcement.
The incident underscores ongoing tension between the White House’s aggressive immigration policies and the legal safeguards required by federal courts. While ICE’s future SEVIS policy may provide clarity, legal experts warn that immigration enforcement actions targeting non-criminal international students may continue to face strong judicial scrutiny.
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