Attorneys for the student argue that she risks deportation or a five-year reentry ban if her status isn’t restored.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — A federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order for an international Ph.D. student at The Ohio State University after her student SEVIS status was unexpectedly terminated earlier this month.
The student, a citizen of India studying agricultural engineering, had her F-1 student status in the federal SEVIS database terminated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement the week of April 7. Court documents show the reason listed was “Other – Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has their VISA revoked.”
However, the student claims in the lawsuit that she never received notice that her F-1 visa was revoked and says her only criminal history is a 2020 defective equipment conviction in Missouri, for which she paid a $300 fine.
A ruling by U.S. District Judge Algenon Marbley on April 18 orders the Department of Homeland Security and ICE to reinstate her F-1 status and SEVIS record, allowing her to remain in the U.S. and continue her studies while the case proceeds. The order also temporarily blocks federal agencies from enforcing any penalties related to her terminated status.
A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for May 8.
Attorneys for the student argue that she risks deportation or a five-year reentry ban if her status isn’t restored.
“Being out of status also renders Plaintiff ineligible to apply for any type of nonimmigrant visa while she is here; she would have to go back to India first. And if she takes this route of ‘self-deporting,’ she would be barred for five (5) years from returning to the U.S. because a ground of inadmissibility would attach to her based on an F-1 status violation,” court records say.
This case comes as part of a broader trend, with at least 600 international students across more than 90 U.S. universities reportedly having their visas revoked or legal status terminated in recent weeks.
Ohio State President Ted Carter expressed support for international students and said the university is seeking clarity on the situation. U.S. Sen. Bernie Moreno, when asked about the terminations, said he has confidence in the Department of Homeland Security but would be open to reviewing individual concerns.
Just last week, another international Ohio State student filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after his F-1 visa was revoked.
The student is another full-time international student from India who was in the United States on an F-1 visa. He is a second-year graduate student who has been admitted to the Ph.D. program in History of Art, according to the lawsuit.
He is one of at least 12 students who had their visas revoked at Ohio State in the last few weeks.
