General Discussion

Nevilledog

(54,127 posts) Fri Apr 25, 2025, 11:27 AM 10 hrs ago

ICE backs down, says it will restore status of thousands of foreign students

https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/politics/federal-fallout/ice-backs-down-says-it-will-restore-status-of-thousands-of-foreign-students-dhs-f-1-visa/65-82a2bd69-3cce-408f-91cd-f80f065b00dd

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration made a sudden about-face Friday and announced in court it will return thousands of foreign students to active status after terminating their records in a federal database earlier this month.

“ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations. Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records for plaintiff(s) in this case (and other similarly situated plaintiffs) will remain Active or shall be re-activated if not currently active and ICE will not modify the record solely based on the NCIC finding that resulted in the recent SEVIS record termination,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Carilli said during a hearing in federal court in D.C.

The move comes as federal judges around the country have issued more than 40 emergency orders blocking Immigration and Customs Enforcement from unilaterally terminating records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which DHS uses to monitor foreign students’ presence in the U.S. Foreign students must maintain active status in the SEVIS database to complete their educational programs, obtain authorization to work and apply for the H-1B visa lottery.

Earlier this month, ICE terminated the records of approximately 4,700 foreign students after they were flagged in a search of a national law enforcement database. Hundreds of students subsequently sued, with many saying they had never been charged with a crime at all. Others said their charges were dismissed or were for low-level offenses that do not justify terminating their student status under federal law.

*snip*