Judge Orders Reinstatement of 133 F-1 Student Visas

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Federal District Court Judge Victoria M. Calvert in the Northern Georgia district issued a temporary restraining order against Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s stripping of F-1 visas from 133 students, which left the students facing deportation.

The Department of Homeland Security and ICE, which operates within it, have until 17:00 on Tuesday 22 April 2025 to reinstate the visas, effective retroactively to 31 March 2025.

Many of the affected students are in good academic standing and nearing graduation, enrolled in STEM subjects or participating in authorized work. Many of them have no police record of even so much as a traffic ticket. Their visas were terminated in the DHS Student and Exchange Visitor Information System without prior notice, without explanation and without an opportunity to appeal. They were given a short deadline to leave the USA.

Calvert ruled that cutting off the F-1 visas exceeded legal authority, probably violating the Administrative Procedure Act and the Fifth Amendment. The students showed termination of their visas ended their legal status and put them at substantial risk of irreparable harms in regard to education, employment and mental health.

Calvert will hear arguments for a preliminary injunction on Thursday 24 April.

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