
Indian, Chinese students sue Trump over visa rules
Three Indian and two Chinese students in the US have sued the Department of Homeland Security and other immigration officials for terminating the F-1 visas of several international students.
The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) before the US District Court in New Hampshire, accuses the Trump administration of "unilaterally terminating the F-1 student status of hundreds, if not thousands, of international students."
What does the lawsuit say
The lawsuit suggests students not only face the threat of deportation or visa cancellation, but also "severe financial and academic hardship." It said the government did not give the required notice before terminating a foreign student's legal status.
Among the petitioning students are Chinese nationals Hangrui Zhang and Haoyang An, and Indian nationals Linkhith Babu Gorrela, Thanuj Kumar Gummadavelli and Manikanta Pasula.
Hangrui's research assistantship has been terminated due to the termination of his F1 visa status. Haoyang may have to abandon his degree despite having already invested $329,196 (€289,467).
Gorrela is due to finish his degree on May 20, but cannot do so or participate in an additional training program without a valid F1 visa. Gummadavelli and Pasula would have one more semester left before finishing their degree.
International students in the US concerned
The Trump administration's tightening of student visa policies sparked widespread concern among international students, universities and advocacy groups.
Chinese and Indian students make up a large chunk of international students in the United States.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Times of Oman
3 hours ago
- Times of Oman
US travel ban adds to uncertainty for thousands of Afghan immigrants
Kabul: Thousands of Afghans holding P1 and P2 US immigration cases remain in complete uncertainty as they await a response from the US government, following the White House's recent announcement of a travel ban, TOLOnews reported. Many of these individuals had been stranded in third countries like Pakistan for over three years, relying on US promises for their cases to be processed. Some caseholders told TOLOnews that the new travel restrictions were causing significant concern. Mohammad Javid Kohsari, a US immigration caseholder, said, "We hope the travel ban does not include immigrants or P1 and P2 case holders because about three years ago, we came to third countries based on US promises. Immigrants in Pakistan are grappling with numerous problems," TOLOnews reported. Another holder of a US immigration case, who wished to remain anonymous, said, "We and other Afghans in Pakistan and other third countries who are awaiting the processing of our cases have completed most legal steps, including embassy interviews and health checks," TOLOnews added. US President Donald Trump announced the travel ban targeting Afghan citizens along with nationals from eleven other countries, stating that these countries did not have their domestic situations under control. He said the goal was to keep "bad people" out of the US. The United Nations emphasized that while every country has the right to manage its borders, any system put in place must respect human dignity. UN Secretary-General spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, "Our position globally has been that any system established in this regard must preserve human dignity." Meanwhile, the US State Department clarified that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans was a temporary measure that could end at any time. Tommy Pigott, principal deputy spokesperson for the Department of State, said, "The temporary protected status is only one dynamic when it comes to many different ways that people from Afghanistan have come to this country." The main concern remained about P1 and P2 cases--programs designed for vulnerable individuals such as civil activists and employees of international organizations. According to the head of AfghanEvac, these programs were currently suspended but, unlike the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, were exempt from the travel ban.


Times of Oman
3 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Trump praises National Guard for keeping America safe and strong, bans masks at LA protest
Washington DC: US President Donald Trump on Sunday praised the National Guard in Los Angeles for their role in tackling two days of protests. Trump further said that protesters would not be allowed to wear masks at protests. "Great job by the National Guard in Los Angeles after two days of violence, clashes and unrest. We have an incompetent Governor (Newscum) and Mayor (Bass) who were, as usual (just look at how they handled the fires, and now their VERY SLOW PERMITTING disaster. Federal permitting is complete!), unable to handle the task. These Radical Left protests, by instigators and often paid troublemakers, will NOT BE TOLERATED. Also, from now on, MASKS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED to be worn at protests. What do these people have to hide, and why??? Again, thank you to the National Guard for a job well done!" Trump said in a post on Truth Social. Meanwhile, California Governor Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, called the Republican president's decision "purposefully inflammatory". He said on X that Trump was deploying the National Guard "not because there is a shortage of law enforcement, but because they want a spectacle". He added, "Don't give them one. Never use violence. Speak out peacefully." According to the California governor's office, Trump federalised part of the California's National Guard under Title 10 authority, which places him, not the governor, atop the chain of command to deploy the troops. Trump signed a presidential memorandum deploying 2,000 National Guardsmen to Los Angeles to respond to escalating protests following immigration enforcement raids, CNN reported. The move comes amid growing tensions between federal authorities and demonstrators over what critics have called "mass chaos" and "paramilitary operations" targeting immigrant communities. Residents of a predominantly Latino district repeatedly clashed with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) federal agents. The protests began Friday after dozens were detained in raids across Los Angeles. In response to the unrest, the Department of Defence has begun mobilising the National Guard to assist federal law enforcement. US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth, in a post on X, described the demonstrations as "violent mob assaults" intended to block the removal of "criminal illegal aliens." "The violent mob assaults on ICE and Federal Law Enforcement are designed to prevent the removal of Criminal Illegal Aliens from our soil; a dangerous invasion facilitated by criminal cartels (aka Foreign Terrorist Organizations) and a huge NATIONAL SECURITY RISK," Hegseth wrote. He added that if the violence continues, active duty Marines stationed at Camp Pendleton are on high alert and may also be deployed.


Times of Oman
13 hours ago
- Times of Oman
Federal govt will step in, says Trump amid tensions in Los Angeles over immigration operations
Los Angeles: Protests broke out in the city of Paramount, Los Angeles, on Saturday after it appeared that federal law enforcement officers were conducting another operation, CBS News reported. The protests were sparked by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation in Los Angeles, which resulted in multiple arrests on Friday. The department reported a large crowd gathered on the 6400 block of Paramount Boulevard at around 12:42 pm, blocking traffic, as per CBS News. Following the protests, Trump shared a post on his 'Truth Social', saying "If Governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can't do their jobs, which everyone knows they can't, then the Federal Government will step in and solve the problem, RIOTS & LOOTERS, the way it should be solved!!!" While addressing a press conference Saturday afternoon, Sheriff Robert Luna said that up to 400 people gathered for protests in Paramount, prompting the department to declare an unlawful assembly. Authorities urged the crowd to "disperse peacefully without any violence." He said that non-lethal munitions were fired by federal agents prior to deputies' arrival. According to CBS News, the California Highway Patrol is preparing for potential protests on the 710 Freeway, but as of 3 pm, no freeway lanes have been obstructed. The LA County Fire Department said that one person was transported to a local hospital from the scene around 12:45 pm The extent of their injuries isn't yet clear. At the scene, several dozen protesters gathered on the streets, with some attempting to block a US Marshals Service bus and others throwing rocks and objects at law enforcement vehicles. Later on Saturday, Protests continued on the border of Paramount and Compton, with hundreds of demonstrators gathering around a burning car in an intersection. Some individuals performed burnouts on their vehicles, while others rode dirt bikes around the fire, waving flags. Authorities, some wearing riot gear, observed from a distance. Fire trucks arrived and quickly extinguished the flames. Deputies formed a perimeter around the intersection during the firefighting effort. However, the situation escalated as some protesters sprayed graffiti on a building and threw objects at police. The LAPD declared an unlawful assembly and ordered the crowd to disperse. Officers in riot gear formed a skirmish line, pushing the crowd back and clearing the area. Dozens of arrests were made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Los Angeles on Friday, sparking large-scale protests on Saturday. The ICE operation targeted areas including the Westlake District, downtown LA, and South LA on Friday. According to ICE, a total of 118 arrests have been made in LA this week, with 44 of those occurring on Friday. "ICE officers and agents, alongside partner law enforcement agencies, executed four federal search warrants at three locations in central Los Angeles," the spokesperson, Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe, said. "Approximately 44 people were administratively arrested and one arrest for obstruction. The investigation remains ongoing; updates will follow as appropriate."