ICE is reversing termination of legal status for international students around U.S., lawyers say
FILE - Students march at Arizona State University in protest of ASU's chapter of College Republicans United-led event encouraging students to report "their criminal classmates to ICE for deportations", Jan. 31, 2025, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)
By JANIE HAR and KATE BRUMBACK
The federal government is reversing the termination of legal status for international students around the U.S. after many filed court challenges against the Trump administration crackdown, government lawyers said Friday.
The records in a federal student database maintained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement had been terminated in recent weeks, often without the students or their schools being notified. Judges around the country had already issued orders temporarily restoring the students' records in dozens of lawsuits challenging the terminations.
More than 1,200 students nationwide suddenly lost their legal status or had visas revoked, leaving them at risk for deportation. Many said they had only minor infractions on their record or did not know why they were targeted. Some left the country while others have gone into hiding or stopped going to class.
In one of the lawsuits, Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Kurlan read a statement in federal court in Oakland, California, that said ICE was restoring the student status for people whose records were terminated in recent weeks. A similar statement was read by a government attorney in a separate case in Washington, said lawyer Brian Green, who represents the plaintiff in that case. Green provided The Associated Press with a copy of the statement that the government lawyer emailed to him.
It says: '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."
SEVIS is the Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems database that tracks international students' compliance with their visa status. NCIC is the National Crime Information Center, which is maintained by the FBI.
Tricia McLaughlin, an assistant Homeland Security secretary, said ICE had not reversed course on any visa revocations but did 'restore SEVIS access for people who had not had their visa revoked.'
Greg Chen, with the American Immigration Lawyers Association, said some uncertainty remained: 'It is still unclear whether ICE will restore status to everyone it has targeted and whether the State Department will help students whose visas were wrongly revoked.'
Green, who is involved in lawsuits on behalf of several dozen students, said his cases only sought restoration of the student status and that he would be withdrawing them as a result of the statement Friday from ICE.
But lawyers in the Oakland case are seeking a nationwide order from the court prohibiting the government from arresting or incarcerating students, transferring them to places outside their district or preventing them from continuing work or studies.
Pam Johann, a government lawyer, said it was premature to consider anything like that given that ICE was in the process of reactivating student status records and developing a policy. 'We should take a pause while ICE is implementing this change that plaintiffs are seeking right now, on its own,' she said.
But U.S. District Judge Jeffrey S. White asked her to humor the court and clarify ICE's statement.
'It seems like with this administration there's a new world order every single day,' he said. 'It's like whack-a-mole.'
Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said his department was revoking visas held by visitors who were acting counter to national interests, including some who protested Israel's war in Gaza and those who face criminal charges. But many students whose status was terminated said they did not fall under those categories.
A survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs research found that that even the visa revocations for students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests are not popular. About half of U.S. adults oppose this policy, and only 3 in 10 are in support. Among college educated adults, 6 in 10 strongly oppose, compared with 4 in 10 who aren't college graduates.
In lawsuits in several states, students argued they were denied due process. Many were told that their status was terminated as a result of a criminal records check or that their visa had been revoked.
International students and their schools were caught off guard by the terminations of the students' records. Many of the terminations were discovered when school officials were doing routine checks of the international student database.
Jodie Ferise, a higher education attorney in Indiana, said some students at schools her law firm works with already left the country after receiving instructions to self-deport.
'This unprecedented treatment of student status had caused tremendous fear among international students," Ferise said. 'Some of them were too frightened to wait and hope for the administration to change course.'
Earlier this week, before the government's reversal, Ferise said the situation could hurt international student enrollment.
'The world is watching, and we will lose students, not just by the technical revocation of their status, but by the message we're sending that we don't want them anyway and that it isn't safe to even try to go to school here,' she said.
At least 1,220 students at 187 colleges, universities and university systems have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to an Associated Press review of university statements, correspondence with school officials and court records. The AP has been working to confirm reports of hundreds more students who are caught up in the crackdown.
© Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Japan Today
2 days ago
- Japan Today
Protests over immigration raids continue across U.S. with more planned
Protestors surround a dumpster that was set on fire in front of the Henry M. Jackson Federal Building during a protest against federal immigration arrests, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Ryan Sun) By JIM VERTUNO Protests over federal immigration enforcement raids are flaring up around the country, as officials in cities from coast to coast get ready for major demonstrations against President Donald Trump over the weekend. While many demonstrations against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency have been peaceful, with marchers chanting slogans and carrying signs, others have led to clashes with police who have sometimes used chemical irritants to disperse crowds. Hundreds have been arrested. Volatile protests prompted city officials to enforce curfews in Los Angeles and Spokane. And Republican governors in Texas and Missouri mobilized National Guard troops to be ready to help law enforcement manages demonstrations in those states. Activists are planning 'No Kings' events across the country on Saturday to coincide with Trump's planned military parade in Washington, D.C. While those were already scheduled, they will happen amid the rising tensions of the week. The Trump administration said immigration raids and deportations will continue regardless. A look at some recent protests and reactions across the country: Hundreds of protesters marched through downtown Seattle Wednesday evening to a federal building where immigration cases are heard. Some of them dragged a dumpster nearby and set it on fire. The building was covered in graffiti, with 'Abolish ICE Now' written in large letters across its front window. They moved electric bikes and cones to block its entrance. Dozens of officers squared off with protesters near the federal building, with some shooting pepper spray. Police worked to move the crowd away and some protesters threw fireworks and rocks at officers, according to the Seattle Police Department. Mayor Lisa Brown imposed an overnight curfew in downtown Spokane after a protest Wednesday afternoon outside an ICE office that ended with more than 30 arrests and police firing pepper balls at the crowd. Brown said the curfew would 'protect public safety,' and that the majority of protesters were peaceful. 'We respect their right to peacefully protest and to be upset about federal policies,' she said. 'I have been that person who has protested federal policies and that is a right we have.' Several hundred protesters marched through downtown San Antonio and near the historic Alamo mission. Although Texas National Guard troops were seen in the area, the demonstration was mostly peaceful with no significant clashes with law enforcement. The Alamo building and plaza, among the most popular tourist attractions in the state, was closed to the public early and police guarded the property as the crowd gathered and marched nearby. A protest Wednesday outside an ICE office in Tuscon, Arizona, turned into a clash between masked security officers and demonstrators who blocked a roadway, threw balloons filled with paint and spray painted anti-ICE graffiti on the gates and walls of the facility. Video clips showed a security officer who was hit with a water bottle. Masked protesters held makeshift shields as they inched toward the security team, and a member of the security team set off what appeared to be a flash-bang device. At one point, a security officer sprayed a chemical irritant at protesters and a protester responded by firing irritant back at the officers. It was unclear if the officers were private security or federal agents. The Associated Press left messages with the Tucson Police Department and ICE's operation in Arizona. This week's protests are leading into the scheduled 'No Kings' demonstrations that organizers say are planned in nearly 2,000 locations around the country, from city blocks to small towns, courthouse steps to community parks, according to the movement's website. Organizers plan a flagship march and rally in Philadelphia, but no protests are scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., where the military parade will be held. In Florida, state Attorney General James Uthmeier warned that any 'No Kings' protesters who become violent will be dealt with harshly. 'If you want to light things on fire and put people in danger, you are going to do time. We do not tolerate rioting,' said Uthmeier said Thursday. Federal prosecutors are watching as well. In a message sent Thursday, a Justice Department official told U.S. attorneys across the country to prioritize cases against protesters who engage in violence and destruction. The email cites several potential federal charges, including assault, civil disorder and damage of government property. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe mobilized National Guard troops in their states ahead of the weekend demonstrations. Abbott said more than 5,000 guard troops and more than 2,000 state police would be ready to assist local law enforcement if needed. Several 'No Kings' rallies are planned in Texas, including in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas and Austin. There were brief clashes between protesters and police who used chemical irritants during demonstrations in Austin and Dallas earlier in the week. Police in Austin made about a dozen arrests. Mayors in San Antonio and Austin have said they didn't ask for help from the National Guard. Kehoe's announcement called his decision a 'precautionary measure' and did not provide specific troop levels or duties. His order authorized guard leadership to call up as many members as necessary. Abbott and Kehoe stand in sharp contrast to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, who has publicly sparred with Trump over the president's decision to send National Guard troops and Marines to Los Angeles, where volatile demonstrations have mostly been contained to a five-block section of downtown. All 22 other Democratic governors signed a statement backing Newsom, calling the Guard deployment and threats to send in Marines 'an alarming abuse of power.' Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington; Curt Anderson in Tampa, Florida; Jacques Billeaud in Phoenix; David Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri; and Lisa Baumann and Gene Johnson in Seattle contributed. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Japan Times
Downtown LA set for second night of curfew as Trump crackdown expands
Protests over immigration raids that began in Los Angeles continued to spread across the U.S. as President Donald Trump escalated his crackdown by unleashing new federal powers. Los Angeles remained the epicenter of the demonstrations, which have triggered roughly 600 arrests since the weekend and led to clashes with law enforcement. The downtown area that's at the forefront of tensions is set to be under curfew for a second night as Mayor Karen Bass tries to stop acts of vandalism and looting. With the curfew in place Tuesday, protests and disorder were muted compared with previous evenings. Yet tensions remain high as the city remains gripped by the divide between local and federal powers. California Gov. Gavin Newsom used a national address to slam Trump for activating 700 active-duty Marines and authorizing the deployment of up to 4,000 National Guard troops in Los Angeles. "Democracy is under assault right before our eyes,' Newsom said Tuesday evening. "This moment we have feared has arrived.' The federal government has further expanded its show of force. The National Guard in Los Angeles will support immigration arrests made by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents on city streets. On Wednesday, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the administration is invoking the Hobbs Act to allow federal prosecutors to take over criminal cases that would typically be handled by California authorities. The White House has defended the actions as necessary to support what they describe as overwhelmed immigration agents and to maintain order. "If you loot the store, we are going to charge you with robbery under the Hobbs Act, and you're looking at maximum 20 years in prison,' Bondi said. Protesters stand in front of California National Guard soldiers and LAPD officers in Los Angeles on Tuesday. | Bloomberg Demonstrations have spread to cities including New York, Chicago and Milwaukee, with protesters clashing with police and local officials, including Newsom, warning about the potential for broader unrest ahead. Bass has repeatedly criticized the lack of communication from federal authorities and said local law enforcement, including the Los Angeles Police Department and a unified command of other agencies, has handled virtually all crowd control and arrests. She warned that further militarization could inflame the situation. According to local officials, ICE operations in Los Angeles are expected to continue daily for at least a month. Raids have targeted communities and job sites ranging from the city's Fashion District to Home Depot parking lots frequented by day laborers. "The Trump administration's chaotic escalation here in Los Angeles is reckless,' Bass said on Wednesday. "When you raid Home Depots and workplaces, when you tear parents and children apart, and when you deploy troops to our streets, you're not trying to keep anyone safe — you're trying to cause fear and panic. These raids must stop.' The back and forth between Newsom and Trump also continued over social media. Trump, who has leaned into the chaos politically, claimed credit for preventing Los Angeles from "burning to the ground.' "If our troops didn't go into Los Angeles, it would be burning to the ground right now,' he wrote on Truth Social. "The great people of Los Angeles are very lucky that I made the decision to go in and help!!!' Newsom has engaged in a flurry of attacks against the president, with his office weaving in memes that are gaining traction on social media. In two of the latest posts, the governor's office used an apparently AI-generated voice resembling the Star Wars villain Emperor Palpatine to read out Trump's recent statements against the backdrop of Imperial stormtroopers from the movie series. So far, the Los Angeles-area protests have been largely confined to a few square blocks of downtown in a city that spans over 500 square miles, and other suburbs and cities around the wider region. Residential and business neighborhoods like Hollywood, Century City and Beverly Hills have remained mostly untouched. In New York, Mayor Eric Adams has said the city won't "allow violence and lawlessness' similar to Los Angeles, while police commissioner Jessica Tisch made clear the New York Police Department wouldn't "abdicate responsibility' to other forces. On Tuesday evening, demonstrators marched through parts of Lower Manhattan, holding signs that read "ICE out of NYC,' while some clashed with police officers. Eighty-six protesters were taken into custody, with 34 arrested and charged, the NYPD told Bloomberg News. At its peak, there were about 2,000 protesters in the street at different locations, including near ICE's main field office in New York City, according to a person familiar with law enforcement activity. In Chicago, thousands of people gathered on Tuesday night, marching into the city's business district and sometimes clashing with police. At one point a driver sped through the protests, striking one pedestrian, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The police prevented marchers from getting to the Trump International Hotel & Tower. The protests follow increased ICE arrests in the city, where on June 4, federal agents arrested at least 10 undocumented immigrants after asking them to show up at routine immigration check in appointments at the agency's downtown office. Hundreds of people also gathered in Milwaukee to protest recent ICE raids, with Mexican and U.S. flags waved in the crowd. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vowed to use National Guard troops to maintain order during protests against Trump this weekend and after demonstrations broke out in Dallas and Austin. Protesters in Los Angeles are circulating fliers over social media planning rallies in downtown Los Angeles for late afternoon. Bass has warned that anyone aside from residents and office workers will be arrested if they violate the downtown curfew, which lasts from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
Japan Today
3 days ago
- Japan Today
Los Angeles protests follow weeks of intensifying immigration enforcement
By VALERIE GONZALEZ Police use pepper spray as they move protesters away from a van leaving the Federal Building in Santa Ana, Calif., on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Jeff Gritchen/The Orange County Register via AP) The Pentagon's deployment of about 700 Marines to Los Angeles to join the National Guard's response to immigration protests follows weeks of rapid-fire developments as President Donald Trump pursues his top domestic priority for mass deportations. Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff and chief architect of Trump's immigration policies, said late last month that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement should make at least 3,000 arrests a day. That would mark a dramatic increase from Jan. 20 to May 19, when the agency made an average of 656 arrests a day. Miller's target has brought new strains on immigration detention and increased ICE's presence to a level with no recent parallels. Tensions soared in Los Angeles after a series of sweeps starting last week, including in the city's fashion district and a Home Depot, pushed the tally of immigrant arrests in the city past 100. A prominent union leader was arrested while protesting and accused of impeding law enforcement. Trump sent the National Guard and Marines over objections of state officials. But even before Los Angeles, ICE stepped up its presence with rare shows of force featuring officers in heavy tactical gear firing flash bangs. Officers engaged in a tense standoff at a popular Italian restaurant in San Diego's trendy South Park neighborhood on May 30 in an operation that resulted in four immigration arrests. In Massachusetts, a high school student was arrested on May 31 on the way to volleyball practice. Asked why ICE detained an 18-year-old with no criminal record, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons answered, 'I didn't say he was dangerous. I said he's in this country illegally and we're not going to walk away from anybody.' ICE has also worked with the Tennessee Highway Patrol, which conducted nearly 600 traffic stops and arrested about 200 people in recent weeks. With no additional funding and limited staff, ICE is drawing from other federal agencies and local police to carry out deportations. The number of 287(g) agreements to deputize local police to enforce federal immigration laws has more than quadrupled — to about 650 — since Trump took office in January. ICE also lacks the detention space to carry out Trump's agenda, leading to overcrowding in some locations. The agency is budgeted to detain about 41,000 people but held more than 53,500 at the end of May, approaching the all-time highs of 2019. A massive spending bill winding through Congress calls for $45 billion to go toward increasing immigration detention capacity to 100,000 and $8 billion to add 10,000 ICE personnel. The Los Angeles arrests have created an opening for Trump to tie into one of his favorite targets: state and local governments that limit cooperation with federal immigration authorities. California limits cooperation except when people in the country illegally are convicted of serious crimes. The White House recently published a list of more than 500 'sanctuary' jurisdictions but removed it from its website after widespread criticism that it was inaccurate, including from allies like Huntington Beach, California. The volume of immigration policy changes has not slowed since Trump took office, reaching a breakneck pace in recent weeks. On Friday, Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man mistakenly deported and imprisoned without communication, was returned to the United States to face criminal charges related to human smuggling. People showing up for hearings to pursue legal status at immigration courtrooms have been met with a spate of arrests across the country. And a travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries took effect Monday. © Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
