Latest news with #Isserdasani
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
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@ or 920-323-5758. Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@ 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
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Foreign students in U.S. mount court challenges as Trump ends their legal status
By Nate Raymond and Kristina Cooke BOSTON (Reuters) - International students are rushing to ask U.S. judges to block immigration officials from deporting them after President Donald Trump's administration began revoking the rights of thousands of student visa holders to remain in the U.S. On Tuesday alone, judges in Massachusetts, Montana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington, D.C., issued emergency orders barring immigration authorities from acting against students after the government canceled their legal basis for being in the U.S., part of Trump's broad immigration crackdown. "This is popping up all over the country," U.S. District Judge Patti Saris in Boston said during a hearing on Tuesday at which she blocked authorities from arresting a 22-year-old Chinese student at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who is weeks away from earning her degree. The federal government revoked the students' status by removing them from a database of the approximately 1.1 million foreign student visa holders, putting them at risk of deportation. The database monitors compliance with visa terms and records foreign students' addresses, progress toward graduation and other information. To remain in the database, student visa holders have to obey conditions like limits on employment and avoiding illegal activity. Since Trump took office on January 20, more than 4,700 students have been deleted from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-maintained database known as Student and Exchange Visitor Information Systems, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association. The Chinese student at MIT, referred to in court only as Jane Doe, is one of nine that the university said had their visas and immigration status unexpectedly revoked this month, a phenomenon repeating at colleges nationally. The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE and the database, did not respond to requests for comment. But in court filings, the administration said it can end students' eligibility to be in the U.S. if they, for example, turn up in a criminal history search. By statute, criminal activity is defined as instances in which student visa holders are convicted of violent crimes for which a sentence of more than one year could be imposed. Yet many of the students who have sued say they had their status revoked based on criminal record searches that found dismissed charges or minor offenses. Krish Isserdasani, a 21-year-old undergraduate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from India, is among them. He acknowledged that while walking home from a bar in November he was arrested for disorderly conduct after a verbal argument. The local district attorney declined to pursue charges against Isserdasani. But on April 4, his university informed him that his database record has been terminated. A federal judge in Wisconsin ruled Tuesday that the government's action was likely unlawful. "So far, defendants have offered nothing to suggest Isserdasani is undeserving of a degree after years of effort and payment of tuition, much less should be deported from the United States before completing his degree," U.S. District Judge William Conley wrote. SAFEGUARDS 'BLOWN PAST' In Montana, U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen reached a similar conclusion that same day. He issued a temporary restraining order requiring the government to restore the legal status of two Montana State University, Bozeman students, one from Iran and one from Turkey. The judge said neither student had been convicted of any crime, nor had either been active in on-campus political protests. The U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of speech for everyone in the U.S., regardless of immigration status. But there have been high-profile instances of the administration revoking visas of students who advocated against Israel's war in Gaza. Jonathan Wasden, a lawyer at Wasden Immigration Litigation, said in the hundreds of cases he has seen so far, "every procedural safeguard in the book was blown past." Most involve students whose visas were revoked for minor traffic offenses, and in some cases, there was no clear reason, he said. Yet many students are trying to keep a low profile and avoid litigation, he said. "A lot of people are scared that filing suit will put them on ICE's radar, and they don't want to be the next guy on CNN being surrounded by ICE agents sporting balaclavas and handcuffs," he said. Among the most widely publicized of such arrests was one captured on video last month of masked agents taking a Tufts University student from Turkey into custody. Nevertheless, lawsuits continue to mount. Local affiliates of the American Civil Liberties Union have filed at least three so far, including a case in New Hampshire where a judge last week ordered a Dartmouth College student's immigration status restored. Lawyers at the ACLU of Michigan on Tuesday urged a judge to halt moves against four students at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, while the civil rights group's Indiana affiliate sued that day on behalf of seven international students at schools there. "The impact on these students' lives is profound, and now they live in fear of being deported at any moment," Ken Falk, a lawyer with the ACLU of Indiana, said in a statement.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Judge temporarily halts deportation of University of Wisconsin student after Trump visa cancellation
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily halted the removal of a University of Wisconsin-Madison student from India whose visa was terminated from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) database. Judge William Conley ruled to block the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from immediately deporting Krish Lal Isserdasani, 21, who claimed his F-1 student visa was wrongfully terminated. He's a senior who expects to graduate in May. Officials said he failed to maintain his status as a legal resident due to being identified in 'criminal records.' Isserdasani was arrested on November 22, 2024, after a verbal argument took place outside of a bar, according to legal filings. 'Although Isserdasani was arrested for disorderly conduct, the District Attorney declined to pursue charges after reviewing the case,' his attorneys wrote in court documents. 'As a result, Isserdasani never had to appear in court and believed the matter was completely resolved with no possible immigration consequences. Aside from this encounter, Isserdasani has had no other interactions with law enforcement,' they added. Isserdani received an April 4 email from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's International Student Services informing him of his visa revocation, which would only authorize him to stay in the U.S. until May 2. His lawyers said an abrupt exit would hinder his ability to graduate on time and opportunities to gain work experience. 'Isserdasani and his family have reportedly invested approximately $240,000 in his education in the United States, and he stands to lose $17,500 in tuition for the current semester,' they wrote, according to court filings. 'He would also be liable for rental payments for the next four months despite being unable to remain in the country.' Conley's temporary injunction blocking his removal will remain in place until April 28 when a preliminary injunction hearing will be held. 'Accordingly, plaintiff Isserdasani has shown a substantial, if not overwhelming, likelihood of success on the merits of his claim in Count 2 that DHS violated the APA [Administrative Procedure Act] when summarily terminated his F-1 student status in SEVIS without cause,' Conley wrote. He added that Isserdasani is likely to show that DHS's termination of his F-1 student status was 'arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law.' Isserdani's case is the latest in a series of sweeping removals of foreign students without due process. The University of Wisconsin said six current students and seven alumni have been impacted by the government's termination of SEVIS records. The White House and DHS did not immediately respond to The Hill's request for comment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
15-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hill
Judge temporarily halts deportation of University of Wisconsin student after Trump visa cancellation
A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily halted the removal of a University of Wisconsin-Madison student from India whose visa was terminated from the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) database. Judge William Conley ruled to block the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from immediately deporting Krish Lal Isserdasani, 21, who claimed his F-1 student visa was wrongfully terminated. He's a senior who expects to graduate in May. Officials said he failed to maintain his status as a legal resident due to being identified in 'criminal records.' Isserdasani was arrested on November 22, 2024, after a verbal argument took place outside of a bar, according to legal filings. 'Although Isserdasani was arrested for disorderly conduct, the District Attorney declined to pursue charges after reviewing the case,' his attorneys wrote in court documents. 'As a result, Isserdasani never had to appear in court and believed the matter was completely resolved with no possible immigration consequences. Aside from this encounter, Isserdasani has had no other interactions with law enforcement,' they added. Isserdani received an April 4 email from the University of Wisconsin-Madison's International Student Services informing him of his visa revocation, which would only authorize him to stay in the U.S. until May 2. His lawyers said an abrupt exit would hinder his ability to graduate on time and opportunities to gain work experience. 'Isserdasani and his family have reportedly invested approximately $240,000 in his education in the United States, and he stands to lose $17,500 in tuition for the current semester,' they wrote, according to court filings. 'He would also be liable for rental payments for the next four months despite being unable to remain in the country.' Conley's temporary injunction blocking his removal will remain in place until April 28 when a preliminary injunction hearing will be held. 'Accordingly, plaintiff Isserdasani has shown a substantial, if not overwhelming, likelihood of success on the merits of his claim in Count 2 that DHS violated the APA [Administrative Procedure Act] when summarily terminated his F-1 student status in SEVIS without cause,' Conley wrote. He added that Isserdasani is likely to show that DHS's termination of his F-1 student status was 'arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or otherwise not in accordance with law.' Isserdani's case is the latest in a series of sweeping removals of foreign students without due process. The University of Wisconsin said six current students and seven alumni have been impacted by the government's termination of SEVIS records.
USA Today
15-04-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Judge says UW-Madison international student with terminated visa can't be deported for now
Judge says UW-Madison international student with terminated visa can't be deported for now A federal judge barred the government from taking any action against a University of Wisconsin-Madison engineering student from India. Show Caption Hide Caption Panic on college campuses as Trump cancels international student visas The Trump administration has cited reasons like roommate disputes and traffic tickets for canceling hundreds of international student visas. The temporary order prevents the Department of Homeland Security from revoking the student visa or detaining a 21-year-old undergraduate student from India. The judge said the student's claim of wrongful visa termination had a "reasonable likelihood of success" in the courts. A federal judge barred the government from taking any action against a University of Wisconsin-Madison engineering student from India, delivering a temporary blow to the Trump administration's sweeping campaign to revoke international student visas. The April 15 order prevents the Department of Homeland Security from revoking the student visa or detaining Krish Lal Isserdasani, 21, who was expected to graduate with a bachelor's degree in computer engineering in early May. The request for a temporary restraining order was brought by Madison attorney Shabnam Lotfi after Isserdasani's record was terminated in the government's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) database. "He was given no warning, no opportunity to explain or defend himself, and no chance to correct any potential misunderstanding before his F-1 student visa record was terminated in SEVIS," the order said. Judge William Conley of the Western District of Wisconsin handed down the order, saying Isserdasani was not convicted of a crime, and his claim of wrongful visa termination had a "reasonable likelihood of success" in the courts. He set a preliminary injunction hearing for April 28. The order is believed to be one of the first victories nationally for international student visa holders whose records were terminated, according to Lotfi. Hundreds of students nationwide have seen their SEVIS records terminated abruptly. "The judge heard us," Lotfi said moments after the order came down. According to the order, 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. 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. UW-Madison International Student Services staff informed Isserdasani by email that his record had been terminated, according to the order. The reason listed was: "Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked. SEVIS record has been terminated." The termination 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. The termination of the students' 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. Isserdasani "reports being afraid to leave his apartment for fear of being apprehended at any moment," the order said. Iowa State graduate's visa was terminated over traffic stop The order also weighed in on the visa termination of Hamidreza Khademi, 34, of Iran. He graduated with a master's degree in architecture from Iowa State University in 2023 and had been working on an employment extension of his student visa overseeing infrastructure projects at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Khademi was arrested in February 2024 after an officer tried to pull him over, saying Khademi didn't use his turn signal while changing lanes, according to the order. Khademi said he did not know the officer wanted him to stop. The Texas Department of Public Safety determined there was no violation, according to the order. No charges were filed. Khademi had no other other interactions with law enforcement. An email from Iowa State on April 10 informed him of the visa termination. It cited the same reason as Isserdasani's and said his employment permit ended immediately. The loss of his salary has created a 'catastrophic financial hardship' for his family, the order said. His wife, pregnant with their first child, is due this summer. In the order, Conley questioned whether Khademi's claim was filed in the right court, because he seemed to have no ties to the court's jurisdiction of western Wisconsin. He declined to rule on the motion for a temporary restraining order for Khademi, asking both parties to file additional briefs by April 16. Khademi's attorney, Lotfi, has a history of challenging the Trump administration. During Trump's first term, she was part of a class-action lawsuit related to the so-called Muslim travel ban. A judge in 2024 ruled that certain people from several Muslim-majority countries whose visa applications were denied during the first Trump administration could submit new visa applications. Through Lotfi, both Khademi and Isserdasani declined to comment. Terminations part of larger national immigration crackdown The visa terminations are among at least 57 at Wisconsin colleges and universities as of April 15, and hundreds more nationwide. 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. More: How many international students at Wisconsin universities have had visas revoked? Nationally, a number of student visas have been terminated for no apparent reason or for minor violations, such as speeding tickets, that previously would not warrant such a serious consequence, according to lawsuits filed by students in other states. The State Department has offered little insight into how and why specific students were selected for visa termination. 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. UW-Madison enrolls about 8,000 international students, according to university data. "We don't go into the rationale for what happens with individual visas," State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said April 8 at a news conference. "What we can tell you is that the department revokes visas every day in order to secure our borders and to keep our community safe, and we'll continue to do so." The Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, which represents more than 570 public and private colleges and universities across the country, said recent revocations appeared to lack cause and raised concerns about fairness and due process. "The government's actions and rhetoric create an atmosphere of fear, threaten academic freedom, chill free expression, and jeopardize the well-being of noncitizen members of our campus communities," the organization said in a statement. Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@ or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer. Contact Sophie Carson at scarson@ or 920-323-5758.
