What to know about a University of Wisconsin student's legal fight over visa termination
In a wave of international student visa terminations, the case of University of Wisconsin-Madison student Krish Lal Isserdasani drew attention this week after he won a temporary victory in the courts.
Judge William Conley of the Western District of Wisconsin issued a temporary restraining order April 15, preventing the Department of Homeland Security from revoking Isserdasani's student visa or detaining him.
UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin recently weighed in on the visa terminations, calling them deeply troubling.
Here's what to know about the case:
Isserdasani, 21, is from India and has been pursuing a degree at UW-Madison since 2021. He was expected to graduate with a bachelor's degree in computer engineering in early May.
UW-Madison International Student Services staff informed Isserdasani by email that his record had been terminated, according to the order. The reason listed: "Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked. SEVIS record has been terminated."
Isserdasani was arrested Nov. 22, 2024, on suspicion of misdemeanor disorderly conduct after he and his friends got into an argument with another group of people after leaving a bar, according to the judge's order. Dane County District Attorney Ismael Ozanne declined to charge Isserdasani in the case, and he never appeared in court, the order said.
Isserdasani "believed the matter was completely resolved with no possible immigration consequences," the order said, and he had no other interactions with law enforcement.
The termination of a student's records in the SEVIS database means they have lost their legal status in the U.S., and they must either leave the country immediately or take legal action to try to stay.
Conley's order that the government cannot revoke Isserdasani's student visa refers to the travel document that allows entry into the U.S. He did not rule on Isserdasani's legal status.
It would prevent Isserdasani from completing his degree and applying for a program that would allow him to work while remaining on his student visa, the order said.
Isserdasani and his family have spent about $240,000 on his education in the U.S., and he stands to lose $17,500 in tuition for this semester, according to the order.
Isserdasani "reports being afraid to leave his apartment for fear of being apprehended at any moment," the order said.
There have been at least 58 visa terminations at Wisconsin colleges and universities as of April 17. The terminations include current students as well as alumni who were legally working on their student visas after graduation through a program called Optional Practical Training.
Officials at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee said they did not believe the terminations at their schools were related to free speech or protests. Some other students nationally have been targeted for their participation in pro-Palestinian protests last year.
DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to requests for comment on the ruling. The State Department has framed the terminations as a way to keep borders secure.
Mnookin called the roughly two dozen visa revocations on campus concerning because in many of the cases, there were either no known infractions or there was a minor violation, such as a speeding ticket, that previously would not warrant such a serious consequence.
"Revoking visas on such flimsy grounds or on no clear grounds at all seems arbitrary and unjust," she wrote in an April 17 op-ed published in the Wisconsin State Journal. "And it overlooks just how much these students contribute to our university, state and nation."
About 1,300 students nationwide have seen their SEVIS records terminated abruptly, prompting more than a dozen lawsuits.
Conley's order is believed to be among the first victories nationally for international student visa holders whose records were terminated, said Madison attorney Shabnam Lotfi.
A different federal judge in New Hampshire handed down a similar victory when she temporarily restored the legal status of a Dartmouth College doctoral student from China whose SEVIS record was terminated for "unknown and unspecified reasons," according to a complaint. The student had not committed any crimes, including traffic violations, as he does not drive, the complaint said.
Conley said because Isserdasani was not convicted of a crime, his claim of wrongful visa termination had a "reasonable likelihood of success" in the courts. He set a preliminary injunction hearing for April 28.
Sophie Carson is a general assignment reporter who reports on religion and faith, immigrants and refugees and more. Contact her at scarson@gannett.com or 920-323-5758.
Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What to know about a UW-Madison student's visa termination case
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