A federal court ordered the visas of four international students at the University of Iowa, who previously had their student status revoked by the federal government, to be restored Thursday.
The UI students filed a federal complaint Monday against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the department’s Secretary Kristi Noem, and Acting Director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons, for terminating their visa status without explanation.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa granted a temporary restraining order and ordered the restoration of the students’ status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, backdated to the date of termination.
The court orders the DHS must not terminate their student visas while the lawsuit is pending and without proper reasoning. The order also blocks DHS from starting deportation proceedings.
Nationally, students who have had their visas revoked have taken the decision to court. A federal district judge in Georgia issued a temporary restraining order Friday to block the termination of 133 international students’ legal status.
Federal officials have revoked the visas of five international students at the UI, according to the Campaign to Organize Graduate Students, or COGS.
In an April 11 email to The Daily Iowan, a UI spokesperson said the university is aware of students who have been impacted and are unable to provide any details for privacy reasons.
“Good News! A temporary restraining order against the Feds, on behalf of some of the UI international students, has been granted!” COGS said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday. “The courts continue to recognize in these cases that the Feds can’t operate with reckless disregard for the law. All you fascist bound to lose.”
International students comprise nearly one-third of the UI’s graduate student population. Nationally, more than 1.5 million people in the U.S. in 2023 were under student visas issued by the State Department, according to a DHS report.
Revoking international student visas is part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to restrict immigration. The Trump administration has not provided a reason for most visa revocations, but some students were targeted because of their involvement in pro-Palestine protests.
More than 1,500 students have had a sudden or unexpected change to their SEVIS listing or their visa status over the past two weeks, according to data compiled by Inside Higher Ed.
The data shows nine Iowa college students have had their SEVIS or visa status changed — two from Iowa State University, five from the UI, and two from Mount Mercy University.
A hearing on the preliminary injunction is set for Monday, May 5, in the federal courthouse in Des Moines.
dailyiowan.com
The UI students filed a federal complaint Monday against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the department’s Secretary Kristi Noem, and Acting Director of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd Lyons, for terminating their visa status without explanation.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Iowa granted a temporary restraining order and ordered the restoration of the students’ status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, backdated to the date of termination.
The court orders the DHS must not terminate their student visas while the lawsuit is pending and without proper reasoning. The order also blocks DHS from starting deportation proceedings.
Nationally, students who have had their visas revoked have taken the decision to court. A federal district judge in Georgia issued a temporary restraining order Friday to block the termination of 133 international students’ legal status.
Federal officials have revoked the visas of five international students at the UI, according to the Campaign to Organize Graduate Students, or COGS.
In an April 11 email to The Daily Iowan, a UI spokesperson said the university is aware of students who have been impacted and are unable to provide any details for privacy reasons.
“Good News! A temporary restraining order against the Feds, on behalf of some of the UI international students, has been granted!” COGS said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Thursday. “The courts continue to recognize in these cases that the Feds can’t operate with reckless disregard for the law. All you fascist bound to lose.”
International students comprise nearly one-third of the UI’s graduate student population. Nationally, more than 1.5 million people in the U.S. in 2023 were under student visas issued by the State Department, according to a DHS report.
Revoking international student visas is part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to restrict immigration. The Trump administration has not provided a reason for most visa revocations, but some students were targeted because of their involvement in pro-Palestine protests.
More than 1,500 students have had a sudden or unexpected change to their SEVIS listing or their visa status over the past two weeks, according to data compiled by Inside Higher Ed.
The data shows nine Iowa college students have had their SEVIS or visa status changed — two from Iowa State University, five from the UI, and two from Mount Mercy University.
A hearing on the preliminary injunction is set for Monday, May 5, in the federal courthouse in Des Moines.
Federal court orders to restore UI international students’ visas
A federal court ordered the visas of four international students at the University of Iowa, who previously had their student status revoked by the federal government, to be restored Thursday. The UI students filed a federal complaint Monday against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the...
dailyiowan.com
