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Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Lawsuits seek to restore dozens of foreign students' legal status amid targeting by immigration authorities
Scores of foreign students across the country are included in a pair of sweeping lawsuits that allege the Trump administration unlawfully stripped them of their legal status amid a broader crackdown on immigration. By CNN's tally, more than 1,000 students and graduates have had their visas or statuses revoked, undermining their ability to remain in the US and continue their studies. Cases have ranged from high-profile instances involving alleged support of terror organizations to relatively minor offenses, like years-old misdemeanors. While some affected students have brought individual cases, at least two federal lawsuits aim to represent large swaths of students at once – more than a hundred in each. 'I can file 133 lawsuits, but I think the court wouldn't be happy about that, so we're filing one,' Charles Kuck, the attorney for one of the cases and former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told CNN Sunday. Lawyers are expensive; grouping the cases together, Kuck said, made it possible for the plaintiffs to afford representation while ensuring his firm, Kuck Baxter, could litigate the case. Both cases are focused on the plaintiffs' lawful status as foreign students, which the lawsuits argue is distinct from the visa allowing them entry into the United States: The complaints allege the government unlawfully stripped the students of their status, leaving them vulnerable to detention or deportation. Kuck told CNN he was aware of at least 10 other lawsuits filed on behalf of international students that made similar arguments. Here's what we know. At the heart of both lawsuits is the difference between a foreign student's visa and their legal status as a student. There are several types of visas for international students studying in the United States. Both lawsuits deal with F-1 visas, among the most common type of student visa. The visa, however, is distinct from a student's status, these lawsuits argue: The visa allows foreign students to enter the United States. Once admitted, they must 'maintain' their status by pursuing their course of study, avoiding unauthorized employment and adhering to other rules. While a person's legal status – their ability to remain in the United States – is determined by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the Department of Homeland Security, visas are issued by the State Department. DHS may initiate the termination of status for several reasons, one of the lawsuits notes, including by revoking a special waiver issued on the individual's behalf, the introduction of a private bill to make them a permanent resident, or following a notification to the federal register citing national security, diplomatic or public safety reasons. The expiration of an exchange visitor visa does not typically mean that person is immediately considered to be in the US illegally: ICE's website notes someone can stay in the US even if their F-1 visa is expired – so long as they maintain their status. Neither lawsuit challenges the students' visa revocations – rather, they allege the Trump administration unlawfully terminated the plaintiffs' legal status, kneecapping the students' ability to continue working and studying in the United States and jeopardizing their plans for completing their programs. The first lawsuit – initially filed in the Northern District of Georgia on April 11 – originally included 17 foreign students attending colleges and universities in Georgia, Louisiana, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Missouri, Illinois and New York. Nine of those students were from India; five were from China and one each were from Colombia, Mexico and Japan. The case has since ballooned, with 133 foreign students included among the plaintiffs –– all of whom are identified using pseudonyms 'due to fear of retaliation by Defendants.' US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Acting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons are all named as defendants. CNN has reached out to the White House, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Attorney General's office for comment. On Friday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order directing the government to reinstate the plaintiffs' student status by Tuesday while the case proceeds. The complaint argues the Trump administration terminated their statuses by removing the students from the Student and Exchange Visitor System, or SEVIS – an online database schools use to provide the government legally required information about international students. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs' SEVIS records were marked as 'OTHER - Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked. SEVIS record has been terminated,' or 'Otherwise Failing to Maintain Status.' The lawsuit acknowledges some of the plaintiffs have faced criminal allegations or charges, but none have a criminal conviction. None have violated the restriction that requires they not be convicted of a violent crime carrying a sentence longer than one year, the lawsuit says. For example, Jane Doe 1, a college student in Georgia, believes she is being targeted for a domestic violence case dismissed in February because 'there was no underlying proof of any crime,' the complaint says. John Doe 2, also a Georgia student, believes he's being targeted for traffic citations, including driving with an expired license plate while his driver's license was withdrawn; his case was ultimately closed. Regardless, the revocation of a visa is not grounds for the termination of student status, the lawsuit argues: 'A nonimmigrant visa controls a noncitizen's admission into the United States, not their continued stay.' 'Rather,' the lawsuit says, 'DHS's act of unlawfully terminating SEVIS records appears to be designed to coerce students, including each Plaintiff, into abandoning their studies and 'self-deporting' despite not violating their status.' Attorneys for the plaintiffs celebrated the Friday ruling. Another hearing is set for Thursday. 'We believe this ruling shows the students are likely to prevail on their claims and we are pleased the court ordered the government to halt its unlawful actions while the lawsuit continues,' Akiva Freidlin, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia said in a statement Saturday. The second lawsuit contains similar arguments. Filed Friday in the District of New Hampshire, it so far represents five international students: Three, all from India, attend Rivier University in New Hampshire, while two others are from China and attend the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. However, the suit proposes to represent far more: The plaintiffs' attorneys have asked the court to certify the case as a class action, which means it could include many other students in similar situations. The lawsuit notes at least 112 students have had their F-1 status terminated in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. Sec. Noem, acting ICE Director Lyons, DHS and ICE are all named among the defendants. Again, the plaintiffs allege they were stripped of their student statuses unlawfully. One of the plaintiffs, a 23-year-old, claims to have received an email this month from his school notifying him his SEVIS record indicated he had failed to maintain status. 'Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked,' it read, according to the lawsuit. 'SEVIS record has been terminated.' The language closely echoes that cited in the Georgia case. The New Hampshire lawsuit also acknowledges the students had faced run-ins with police, mostly for traffic-related offenses. 'The only criminal matters the individual Plaintiffs have encountered are either dismissed non-violent misdemeanor charges or driving without a valid US driver's license (but using an international or foreign driver's license),' the lawsuit says. 'While Defendants' reasons for these mass terminations of student status are unclear, what is clear is that these terminations – across the board – flout the applicable regulations governing student status termination and the regulations governing failure to maintain student status.'
CNN
21-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
Lawsuits seek to restore dozens of foreign students' legal status amid targeting by immigration authorities
Scores of foreign students across the country are included in a pair of sweeping lawsuits that allege the Trump administration unlawfully stripped them of their legal status amid a broader crackdown on immigration. By CNN's tally, more than 1,000 students and graduates have had their visas or statuses revoked, undermining their ability to remain in the US and continue their studies. Cases have ranged from high-profile instances involving alleged support of terror organizations to relatively minor offenses, like years-old misdemeanors. While some affected students have brought individual cases, at least two federal lawsuits aim to represent large swaths of students at once – more than a hundred in each. 'I can file 133 lawsuits, but I think the court wouldn't be happy about that, so we're filing one,' Charles Kuck, the attorney for one of the cases and former president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, told CNN Sunday. Lawyers are expensive; grouping the cases together, Kuck said, made it possible for the plaintiffs to afford representation while ensuring his firm, Kuck Baxter, could litigate the case. Both cases are focused on the plaintiffs' lawful status as foreign students, which the lawsuits argue is distinct from the visa allowing them entry into the United States: The complaints allege the government unlawfully stripped the students of their status, leaving them vulnerable to detention or deportation. Kuck told CNN he was aware of at least 10 other lawsuits filed on behalf of international students that made similar arguments. Here's what we know. At the heart of both lawsuits is the difference between a foreign student's visa and their legal status as a student. There are several types of visas for international students studying in the United States. Both lawsuits deal with F-1 visas, among the most common type of student visa. The visa, however, is distinct from a student's status, these lawsuits argue: The visa allows foreign students to enter the United States. Once admitted, they must 'maintain' their status by pursuing their course of study, avoiding unauthorized employment and adhering to other rules. While a person's legal status – their ability to remain in the United States – is determined by US Citizenship and Immigration Services, part of the Department of Homeland Security, visas are issued by the State Department. DHS may initiate the termination of status for several reasons, one of the lawsuits notes, including by revoking a special waiver issued on the individual's behalf, the introduction of a private bill to make them a permanent resident, or following a notification to the federal register citing national security, diplomatic or public safety reasons. The expiration of an exchange visitor visa does not typically mean that person is immediately considered to be in the US illegally: ICE's website notes someone can stay in the US even if their F-1 visa is expired – so long as they maintain their status. Neither lawsuit challenges the students' visa revocations – rather, they allege the Trump administration unlawfully terminated the plaintiffs' legal status, kneecapping the students' ability to continue working and studying in the United States and jeopardizing their plans for completing their programs. The first lawsuit – initially filed in the Northern District of Georgia on April 11 – originally included 17 foreign students attending colleges and universities in Georgia, Louisiana, Arizona, Texas, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Missouri, Illinois and New York. Nine of those students were from India; five were from China and one each were from Colombia, Mexico and Japan. The case has since ballooned, with 133 foreign students included among the plaintiffs –– all of whom are identified using pseudonyms 'due to fear of retaliation by Defendants.' US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Acting US Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons are all named as defendants. CNN has reached out to the White House, Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Attorney General's office for comment. On Friday, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order directing the government to reinstate the plaintiffs' student status by Tuesday while the case proceeds. The complaint argues the Trump administration terminated their statuses by removing the students from the Student and Exchange Visitor System, or SEVIS – an online database schools use to provide the government legally required information about international students. According to the complaint, the plaintiffs' SEVIS records were marked as 'OTHER - Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked. SEVIS record has been terminated,' or 'Otherwise Failing to Maintain Status.' The lawsuit acknowledges some of the plaintiffs have faced criminal allegations or charges, but none have a criminal conviction. None have violated the restriction that requires they not be convicted of a violent crime carrying a sentence longer than one year, the lawsuit says. For example, Jane Doe 1, a college student in Georgia, believes she is being targeted for a domestic violence case dismissed in February because 'there was no underlying proof of any crime,' the complaint says. John Doe 2, also a Georgia student, believes he's being targeted for traffic citations, including driving with an expired license plate while his driver's license was withdrawn; his case was ultimately closed. Regardless, the revocation of a visa is not grounds for the termination of student status, the lawsuit argues: 'A nonimmigrant visa controls a noncitizen's admission into the United States, not their continued stay.' 'Rather,' the lawsuit says, 'DHS's act of unlawfully terminating SEVIS records appears to be designed to coerce students, including each Plaintiff, into abandoning their studies and 'self-deporting' despite not violating their status.' Attorneys for the plaintiffs celebrated the Friday ruling. Another hearing is set for Thursday. 'We believe this ruling shows the students are likely to prevail on their claims and we are pleased the court ordered the government to halt its unlawful actions while the lawsuit continues,' Akiva Freidlin, a senior staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia said in a statement Saturday. The second lawsuit contains similar arguments. Filed Friday in the District of New Hampshire, it so far represents five international students: Three, all from India, attend Rivier University in New Hampshire, while two others are from China and attend the Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. However, the suit proposes to represent far more: The plaintiffs' attorneys have asked the court to certify the case as a class action, which means it could include many other students in similar situations. The lawsuit notes at least 112 students have had their F-1 status terminated in New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Puerto Rico. Sec. Noem, acting ICE Director Lyons, DHS and ICE are all named among the defendants. Again, the plaintiffs allege they were stripped of their student statuses unlawfully. One of the plaintiffs, a 23-year-old, claims to have received an email this month from his school notifying him his SEVIS record indicated he had failed to maintain status. 'Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked,' it read, according to the lawsuit. 'SEVIS record has been terminated.' The language closely echoes that cited in the Georgia case. The New Hampshire lawsuit also acknowledges the students had faced run-ins with police, mostly for traffic-related offenses. 'The only criminal matters the individual Plaintiffs have encountered are either dismissed non-violent misdemeanor charges or driving without a valid US driver's license (but using an international or foreign driver's license),' the lawsuit says. 'While Defendants' reasons for these mass terminations of student status are unclear, what is clear is that these terminations – across the board – flout the applicable regulations governing student status termination and the regulations governing failure to maintain student status.'
CNN
16-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
New lawsuit alleges traffic stops, dismissed cases used as criteria to revoke student visas
A new federal lawsuit against the Trump administration offers a glimpse into the reasons why international students in the United States believe they have had their visas revoked. The lawsuit, filed at the US District Court of Northern Georgia in Atlanta, seeks to stop the revocation of visas to international students and to reinstate those that have already been revoked. More than 500 international students, faculty and researchers around the country have had their visas revoked with little or no explanation in recent weeks as the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown. The lawsuit, which currently includes the cases of 133 foreign students, was filed by Kuck Baxter, an Atlanta-based legal firm, focusing on immigration. CNN has obtained copies of both the complaint and the adjoining motion for a temporary restraining order filed at the same federal court on Friday. A modified complaint to add more students was filed at the same court late Tuesday night. The original complaint included the cases of 17 international students. Nine of the original 17 students in the lawsuit are citizens of India and five are from China. The other three come from Colombia, Mexico, and Japan, according to the complaint and Dustin Baxter, one of the filing attorneys. In the complaint, the students are not identified by name, but a 'pseudonym due to fear of retaliation by Defendants.' The lawsuit names three Trump administration officials as defendants: US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons. The White House and DHS have not responded to CNN's request for comment. The complaint alleges that ICE has abruptly and unlawfully terminated the students' legal status in the United States '(…) stripping them of their ability to pursue their studies and maintain employment in the United States and risking their arrest, detention, and deportation.' The administration, the suit says, has terminated their status by removing the students from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) used by the Department of Homeland Security to maintain information mainly regarding international students and their status in the country. The complaint offers a synopsis of each of the original 17 cases, listing the college each student is attending, the county where they live, and the reason they believe they're being targeted. For example, Jane Doe 1, an international student from Colombia enrolled at Kennesaw State University and a resident of Fulton County, Georgia, believes she's being targeted for a domestic violence case that was dismissed in February 'because there was no underlying proof of any crime,' according to the complaint. John Doe 2, an international student from China enrolled at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, believes he's being targeted for traffic citations, including driving with an expired license plate while his driver's license was withdrawn. 'The case was closed and he had no other arrest history,' according to the complaint. A doctoral student from China enrolled at the University of Georgia in Athens faced the most serious charge of any of the 17 students. Jane Doe 5 was arrested in November and charged with DUI, which was later reduced to reckless driving in March, according to the complaint. It also states that she 'pled guilty and was sentenced to 12 months' probation and paid all associated fines.' Federal officials have not specified the reasons why these students' visas have been revoked, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said that some behavior, including participating in protests, will not be tolerated. 'They're here to go to class. They're not here to lead activist movements that are disruptive and undermine our universities. I think it's lunacy to continue to allow that,' Rubio said. This perspective also has fueled perhaps the most high-profile deportation case of foreign nationals accused of supporting terrorist organizations — Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate who is a legal permanent US resident through a green card. In late March, Rubio said that more than 300 visas, 'primarily student visas, some visitor visas,' had been revoked. US Representative Robert García, a California Democrat, told CNN Sunday 800 students 'that we know of from across the country' have been affected. CNN has reviewed court filings, attorney statements and announcements from more than 80 universities and colleges, and confirmed that more than 525 people have had their visas revoked this year. 'We also know that they're targeting students for free speech. So, it's not just a traffic violation or it's not just claiming that they've done something, and giving them no due process to defend themselves, but also (targeting) other students for free speech so we all should be incredibly concerned and we're demanding answers from Homeland Security,' García said. But Baxter, one of the filing attorneys in the Atlanta lawsuit, said the Trump administration is going well beyond targeting only activists. Anywhere officials saw a student encounter with a police officer, they would revoke the student visa, he said. 'So not only would they revoke the person's student visa, even if there was no conviction, if there was just an arrest, and sometimes there wasn't even an arrest, there was just an encounter and maybe a ticket, they would revoke the student visa,' he said. With the temporary restraining order, Baxter said, they're seeking that visas that have already been revoked be reinstated so that affected students can remain registered for classes at the colleges and universities they're attending. 'We're dealing with a lot of people who are finishing up their education, so we have people who are getting ready to defend their doctoral thesis, and all of a sudden, they were just told via email and by the school that they're no longer registered in SEVIS, their registration has been terminated and they're no longer students of the university. So, these people are in difficult situations,' Baxter said. CNN's Maxime Tamsett contributed to this report.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New lawsuit alleges traffic stops, dismissed cases used as criteria to revoke student visas
A new federal lawsuit against the Trump administration offers a glimpse into the reasons why international students in the United States believe they have had their visas revoked. The lawsuit, filed at the US District Court of Northern Georgia in Atlanta, seeks to stop the revocation of visas to international students and to reinstate those that have already been revoked. More than 500 international students, faculty and researchers around the country have had their visas revoked with little or no explanation in recent weeks as the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown. The lawsuit, which currently includes the cases of 133 foreign students, was filed by Kuck Baxter, an Atlanta-based legal firm, focusing on immigration. CNN has obtained copies of both the complaint and the adjoining motion for a temporary restraining order filed at the same federal court on Friday. A modified complaint to add more students was filed at the same court late Tuesday night. The original complaint included the cases of 17 international students. Nine of the original 17 students in the lawsuit are citizens of India and five are from China. The other three come from Colombia, Mexico, and Japan, according to the complaint and Dustin Baxter, one of the filing attorneys. In the complaint, the students are not identified by name, but a 'pseudonym due to fear of retaliation by Defendants.' The lawsuit names three Trump administration officials as defendants: US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons. The White House and DHS have not responded to CNN's request for comment. The complaint alleges that ICE has abruptly and unlawfully terminated the students' legal status in the United States '(…) stripping them of their ability to pursue their studies and maintain employment in the United States and risking their arrest, detention, and deportation.' The administration, the suit says, has terminated their status by removing the students from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) used by the Department of Homeland Security to maintain information mainly regarding international students and their status in the country. The complaint offers a synopsis of each of the original 17 cases, listing the college each student is attending, the county where they live, and the reason they believe they're being targeted. For example, Jane Doe 1, an international student from Colombia enrolled at Kennesaw State University and a resident of Fulton County, Georgia, believes she's being targeted for a domestic violence case that was dismissed in February 'because there was no underlying proof of any crime,' according to the complaint. John Doe 2, an international student from China enrolled at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, believes he's being targeted for traffic citations, including driving with an expired license plate while his driver's license was withdrawn. 'The case was closed and he had no other arrest history,' according to the complaint. A doctoral student from China enrolled at the University of Georgia in Athens faced the most serious charge of any of the 17 students. Jane Doe 5 was arrested in November and charged with DUI, which was later reduced to reckless driving in March, according to the complaint. It also states that she 'pled guilty and was sentenced to 12 months' probation and paid all associated fines.' Federal officials have not specified the reasons why these students' visas have been revoked, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said that some behavior, including participating in protests, will not be tolerated. 'They're here to go to class. They're not here to lead activist movements that are disruptive and undermine our universities. I think it's lunacy to continue to allow that,' Rubio said. In late March, Rubio said that more than 300 visas, 'primarily student visas, some visitor visas,' had been revoked. US Representative Robert García, a California Democrat, told CNN Sunday 800 students 'that we know of from across the country' have been affected. CNN has reviewed court filings, attorney statements and announcements from more than 80 universities and colleges, and confirmed that more than 525 people have had their visas revoked this year. The earliest cases focused on foreign nationals accused of supporting terrorist organizations — like Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate who played a central role in protests against Israel's war in Gaza. 'We also know that they're targeting students for free speech. So, it's not just a traffic violation or it's not just claiming that they've done something, and giving them no due process to defend themselves, but also (targeting) other students for free speech so we all should be incredibly concerned and we're demanding answers from Homeland Security,' García said. But Baxter, one of the filing attorneys in the Atlanta lawsuit, said the Trump administration is going well beyond targeting only activists. Anywhere officials saw a student encounter with a police officer, they would revoke the student visa, he said. 'So not only would they revoke the person's student visa, even if there was no conviction, if there was just an arrest, and sometimes there wasn't even an arrest, there was just an encounter and maybe a ticket, they would revoke the student visa,' he said. With the temporary restraining order, Baxter said, they're seeking that visas that have already been revoked be reinstated so that affected students can remain registered for classes at the colleges and universities they're attending. 'We're dealing with a lot of people who are finishing up their education, so we have people who are getting ready to defend their doctoral thesis, and all of a sudden, they were just told via email and by the school that they're no longer registered in SEVIS, their registration has been terminated and they're no longer students of the university. So, these people are in difficult situations,' Baxter said. CNN's Maxime Tamsett contributed to this report.
CNN
16-04-2025
- Politics
- CNN
New lawsuit alleges traffic stops, dismissed cases used as criteria to revoke student visas
A new federal lawsuit against the Trump administration offers a glimpse into the reasons why international students in the United States believe they have had their visas revoked. The lawsuit, filed at the US District Court of Northern Georgia in Atlanta, seeks to stop the revocation of visas to international students and to reinstate those that have already been revoked. More than 500 international students, faculty and researchers around the country have had their visas revoked with little or no explanation in recent weeks as the Trump administration continues its immigration crackdown. The lawsuit, which currently includes the cases of 133 foreign students, was filed by Kuck Baxter, an Atlanta-based legal firm, focusing on immigration. CNN has obtained copies of both the complaint and the adjoining motion for a temporary restraining order filed at the same federal court on Friday. A modified complaint to add more students was filed at the same court late Tuesday night. The original complaint included the cases of 17 international students. Nine of the original 17 students in the lawsuit are citizens of India and five are from China. The other three come from Colombia, Mexico, and Japan, according to the complaint and Dustin Baxter, one of the filing attorneys. In the complaint, the students are not identified by name, but a 'pseudonym due to fear of retaliation by Defendants.' The lawsuit names three Trump administration officials as defendants: US Attorney General Pam Bondi, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons. The White House and DHS have not responded to CNN's request for comment. The complaint alleges that ICE has abruptly and unlawfully terminated the students' legal status in the United States '(…) stripping them of their ability to pursue their studies and maintain employment in the United States and risking their arrest, detention, and deportation.' The administration, the suit says, has terminated their status by removing the students from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) used by the Department of Homeland Security to maintain information mainly regarding international students and their status in the country. The complaint offers a synopsis of each of the original 17 cases, listing the college each student is attending, the county where they live, and the reason they believe they're being targeted. For example, Jane Doe 1, an international student from Colombia enrolled at Kennesaw State University and a resident of Fulton County, Georgia, believes she's being targeted for a domestic violence case that was dismissed in February 'because there was no underlying proof of any crime,' according to the complaint. John Doe 2, an international student from China enrolled at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, believes he's being targeted for traffic citations, including driving with an expired license plate while his driver's license was withdrawn. 'The case was closed and he had no other arrest history,' according to the complaint. A doctoral student from China enrolled at the University of Georgia in Athens faced the most serious charge of any of the 17 students. Jane Doe 5 was arrested in November and charged with DUI, which was later reduced to reckless driving in March, according to the complaint. It also states that she 'pled guilty and was sentenced to 12 months' probation and paid all associated fines.' Federal officials have not specified the reasons why these students' visas have been revoked, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has repeatedly said that some behavior, including participating in protests, will not be tolerated. 'They're here to go to class. They're not here to lead activist movements that are disruptive and undermine our universities. I think it's lunacy to continue to allow that,' Rubio said. In late March, Rubio said that more than 300 visas, 'primarily student visas, some visitor visas,' had been revoked. US Representative Robert García, a California Democrat, told CNN Sunday 800 students 'that we know of from across the country' have been affected. CNN has reviewed court filings, attorney statements and announcements from more than 80 universities and colleges, and confirmed that more than 525 people have had their visas revoked this year. The earliest cases focused on foreign nationals accused of supporting terrorist organizations — like Mahmoud Khalil, a prominent Palestinian activist and Columbia graduate who played a central role in protests against Israel's war in Gaza. 'We also know that they're targeting students for free speech. So, it's not just a traffic violation or it's not just claiming that they've done something, and giving them no due process to defend themselves, but also (targeting) other students for free speech so we all should be incredibly concerned and we're demanding answers from Homeland Security,' García said. But Baxter, one of the filing attorneys in the Atlanta lawsuit, said the Trump administration is going well beyond targeting only activists. Anywhere officials saw a student encounter with a police officer, they would revoke the student visa, he said. 'So not only would they revoke the person's student visa, even if there was no conviction, if there was just an arrest, and sometimes there wasn't even an arrest, there was just an encounter and maybe a ticket, they would revoke the student visa,' he said. With the temporary restraining order, Baxter said, they're seeking that visas that have already been revoked be reinstated so that affected students can remain registered for classes at the colleges and universities they're attending. 'We're dealing with a lot of people who are finishing up their education, so we have people who are getting ready to defend their doctoral thesis, and all of a sudden, they were just told via email and by the school that they're no longer registered in SEVIS, their registration has been terminated and they're no longer students of the university. So, these people are in difficult situations,' Baxter said. CNN's Maxime Tamsett contributed to this report.
