After weeks of mounting legal challenges, student protests, and growing backlash from universities, the Trump Administration has backed down from a sweeping effort that threatened the immigration status of thousands of international students in the United States.
On Friday, the Department of Justice announced that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will reinstate the immigration records of international students whose data had been abruptly terminated earlier this month. The reversal affects students whose visas were canceled over minor or dismissed legal infractions, a decision that had plunged about 4,700 students into legal uncertainty, according to the American Immigration Law Association.
The initial mass terminations, which erased students’ records from the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) without warning, left many technically without legal status and at risk of detention or deportation. The sudden move blocked access to campus resources, disrupted academic progress, and sparked widespread panic across U.S. campuses.
Universities, students, and advocacy groups filed more than 100 lawsuits challenging the terminations, arguing they violated due process and targeted students unfairly. Judges in at least 23 states issued emergency orders to block the government’s actions, criticizing the terminations as arbitrary and potentially unlawful.
Facing mounting legal pressure and with ICE officials scheduled to testify in court, the Administration announced a halt to the practice. “ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations,” a Justice Department attorney said in court on Friday, according to Politico.
However, uncertainty remains for many students. High-profile cases such as Rümeysa Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student, and Mahmoud Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident and Columbia University activist, illustrate the murky legal terrain. Both students face ongoing immigration challenges tied to national security concerns and political activism, areas not clearly addressed by the latest reversal.
While the reinstatement applies to minor infractions, ICE still has authority to terminate records on broader national security grounds. The State Department, which separately revoked visas for many students, has not confirmed whether those actions will be reversed.
Critics say the controversy reflects a deeper shift in how ICE operates on campuses, taking a more direct role in managing student status. Immigration lawyers warn this growing influence could be used to suppress political dissent, particularly around issues such as pro-Palestinian activism. Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that students engaging in such activism could face visa revocations.
The Trump Administration’s retreat marks a major victory for international students, but advocates caution that vigilance will be necessary as new policies take shape.