PHOENIX — The U.S. government is reversing its termination of legal status for international students around the country after widespread legal challenges to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, federal officials announced Friday.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had recently terminated the records of more than 1,200 students in the federal Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) database, leaving many at risk for deportation. Judges across the country had already issued temporary orders restoring students’ records in dozens of lawsuits.
In a statement read in federal court in Oakland, California, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Kurlan said ICE would restore student status for those impacted and would not modify their records solely based on National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database findings that triggered recent terminations.
The move comes after weeks of confusion, with students alleging they lost status over minor infractions or without clear explanation. Some students left the U.S. voluntarily, while others went into hiding or stopped attending classes.
While ICE said it had not reversed any visa revocations, it confirmed that SEVIS access had been restored for students whose visas had not been formally revoked. Attorneys noted, however, that full clarity on long-term policy changes is still pending.
Legal experts and school officials have expressed concern that the damage is already done, with some students losing jobs, missing graduations, and even leaving the country. More than 1,220 students across 187 colleges and universities were affected, according to an Associated Press review.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White, overseeing one of the cases, urged the government to provide a clearer explanation of its policy, noting that frequent policy shifts had created instability.
The Department of Homeland Security said it is developing a new framework for future SEVIS record terminations.
