Restoring Status: U.S. Revives Foreign Student Visas Amid Legal Battles

The Trump administration has temporarily restored the legal statuses of foreign students in the United States amid ongoing legal challenges. The move comes as a response to lawsuits from international students affected by revoked records in the SEVIS database. This development alleviates concerns over potential deportation while new policies are crafted.

The Trump administration announced the temporary reinstatement of legal statuses for several foreign students during a court proceeding in Boston. The move comes in response to lawsuits filed by international students affected by the cancellation of their SEVIS records, which had placed them at risk of deportation.

The SEVIS database, which tracks compliance with visa terms for approximately 1.1 million student visa holders, was at the center of the controversy. Many students had their records revoked based on charges that were either dismissed or insufficient grounds for deportation.

Clay Greenberg, a New York immigration attorney, reported SEVIS record reinstatements for numerous students. ICE is developing a policy to formalize record terminations, while the Department of Homeland Security clarified that visa revocations were not reversed but SEVIS access was granted to those not having their visas revoked.

(With inputs from agencies.)