⚖️ U.S. Court Grants Relief to 133 International Students After Sudden SEVIS Termination – Thoughts?

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1

Hey everyone,

I came across a recent Economic Times article about a federal court ruling in Georgia that granted temporary relief to 133 international students whose SEVIS records were suddenly terminated by DHS/ICE. Here’s a link to the article for those who want to read it in full.

To summarize:

  • These students, all on F-1 visas (some nearing graduation or on OPT), were notified between April 1–14 that their SEVIS records were terminated.
  • DHS claimed various reasons—visa revocations, failure to maintain status, or pending background checks.
  • Students said they had complied with all legal requirements and were given no due process.
  • The court sided with the students, ordering DHS to reinstate SEVIS records retroactively and halting further use of their personal data.
  • The lawsuit highlights violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.

:pushpin: Judge Calvert noted that visa revocation doesn’t automatically invalidate a student’s legal presence, which seems like a huge precedent!

I’m curious to hear your thoughts:

  • Has anyone here experienced something similar?
  • What does this mean for international student rights and due process?
  • Could this signal more legal scrutiny on how DHS/ICE handle F-1 cases?

Would love to get a conversation going—especially if any immigration lawyers or students in similar situations want to weigh in. :folded_hands:

2

According to some of the materials that I’ve read, it is better for students to stay put. Seek help from immigration lawyers immediately, but no need to leave the country. Self-deportation is not going to do you any good, since you are basically admitting their ruling is just and you’ve done something wrong…when you didn’t.

3

Wow, thanks for sharing this. It’s a really important update, and honestly, it’s kind of reassuring to see the court stepping in.

I haven’t experienced something like this personally, but I’ve heard of a few cases where SEVIS was terminated without much explanation. It always felt like students were left in the dark with little to no recourse, so this ruling is a big deal.

That part about visa revocation not automatically meaning loss of legal status is huge. A lot of us live in fear that one wrong move, even if it’s not our fault, could end our status overnight.

It definitely feels like there’s more attention now on how DHS and ICE handle these cases, especially with how fast things move and how hard it is to get clear guidance.

Would love to hear more if anyone here is directly affected or knows someone who is. And if any lawyers are lurking, your thoughts would be super helpful too :folded_hands: