The government reversed the termination of “legal status” for international students from around the country after several lawsuits were filed.Both officials at the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University have confirmed some students’ records that were previously terminated in a federal student database maintained by ICE are now back online. “There wasn’t any type of notice or reasoning behind that. So, it did happen multiple times for many students, international students studying in New Mexico,” said Rebecca Kitson, an immigration attorney. The records in the federal student database indicate if someone is legally allowed to come into the United States to study at a university or college. However, in the last few weeks, some students’ records were terminated, causing uncertainty. On Friday morning, Kitson said one of her clients found out the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) restored her records after they were wiped out just a few weeks ago. “It just happened; it was like flipping a switch. It happened all across the country to many people, all at the same time. It was a clear reversal in the actions by the administration in regard to this issue in particular,” Kitson said.According to the Associated Press, a government lawyer addressed the several lawsuits filed and the restoration of legal status for students, quoting this statement: “ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations. Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records for plaintiff(s) in this case (and other similarly situated plaintiffs) will remain Active or shall be re-activated if not currently active and ICE will not modify the record solely based on the NCIC finding that resulted in the recent SEVIS record termination.””It’s good to know that the administration is going to look at an overall policy, but I think it’s very affirming that the fact that there were so many lawsuits that were filed. And that the judiciary spoke very singularly with one voice, that you can’t do that to people who are present in the United States, who have done everything correctly in the right way,” Kitson said. Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, sent a statement saying: “We have not reversed course on a single visa revocation. What we did is restore SEVIS access for people who had not had their visa revoked.”
The government reversed the termination of “legal status” for international students from around the country after several lawsuits were filed.
Both officials at the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University have confirmed some students’ records that were previously terminated in a federal student database maintained by ICE are now back online.
“There wasn’t any type of notice or reasoning behind that. So, it did happen multiple times for many students, international students studying in New Mexico,” said Rebecca Kitson, an immigration attorney.
The records in the federal student database indicate if someone is legally allowed to come into the United States to study at a university or college. However, in the last few weeks, some students’ records were terminatedcausing uncertainty.
On Friday morning, Kitson said one of her clients found out the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) restored her records after they were wiped out just a few weeks ago.
“It just happened; it was like flipping a switch. It happened all across the country to many people, all at the same time. It was a clear reversal in the actions by the administration in regard to this issue in particular,” Kitson said.
According to the Associated Pressa government lawyer addressed the several lawsuits filed and the restoration of legal status for students, quoting this statement:
“ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations. Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records for plaintiff(s) in this case (and other similarly situated plaintiffs) will remain Active or shall be re-activated if not currently active and ICE will not modify the record solely based on the NCIC finding that resulted in the recent SEVIS record termination.”
“It’s good to know that the administration is going to look at an overall policy, but I think it’s very affirming that the fact that there were so many lawsuits that were filed. And that the judiciary spoke very singularly with one voice, that you can’t do that to people who are present in the United States, who have done everything correctly in the right way,” Kitson said.
Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, sent a statement saying:
“We have not reversed course on a single visa revocation. What we did is restore SEVIS access for people who had not had their visa revoked.”
