California judge blocks Trump administration from revoking legal status of international students

While most courts hearing similar cases have granted protections to plaintiffs, Judge White noted that the government’s actions “wreaked havoc” not only on the plaintiffs but also on other nonimmigrants holding student visas in the US.

White, a Republican nominated by President George W. Bush, granted the nationwide injunction at the request of attorneys representing about two dozen students whose legal status was abruptly terminated in early April by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

As per AP report, more than 4,700 international students had their permission to study in the US cancelled this spring with little notice or explanation, part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigrants and foreign nationals. During court proceedings, Department of Homeland Security officials revealed they had run the names of student visa holders through an FBI database containing suspects and arrested individuals—even if charges were dropped or never filed.

Some students chose to leave the US rather than face possible deportation to a third country.

Government lawyers argue that the administration is exercising its authority under the Immigration and Nationality Act and claim students do not need court protections because ICE reinstated their legal status and mailed reactivation letters to affected students.

However, Judge White found those measures insufficient. He pointed out that the erroneous revocations remain on students’ records, impacting their ability to obtain new visas or change their nonimmigrant status. Many students continue to face consequences from the prior terminations with no assurance their status won’t be revoked again on a whim.

The judge also criticized the administration for rolling out new policies or actions that appear designed to circumvent the court’s concerns.

“It is unclear how this game of whack-a-mole will end unless Defendants are enjoined from skirting their own mandatory regulations,” White wrote.

(With Inputs from Associated Press)