An Indian student, along with three others, has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration in response to the sudden termination of their student immigration status, which now puts them at risk of deportation from the United States, according to a report by PTI.
The students are seeking reinstatement of their legal status in the country through the lawsuit. This legal action comes amid an intensifying crackdown by the Trump administration on international students, with several visas being revoked over alleged participation in campus activism. Many students, including Indians, have reportedly received emails advising them to voluntarily leave the country. Even those accused of minor infractions such as traffic violations or shoplifting have been targeted.
Details of the Lawsuit
Chinmay Deore, an Indian student enrolled at Wayne State University, along with two Chinese students and one from Nepal, has filed a case against the Department of Homeland Security and immigration officials. The students allege that their records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) were unlawfully terminated without any prior notice or explanation.
“SEVIS” is a US federal database used to track non-immigrant students in the U.S. The removal of their status from “SEVIS” has rendered them undocumented, requiring them to leave the country immediately.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed the case on their behalf in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. In their petition, the students claim they have neither committed any crimes nor violated immigration laws. They also assert they were not involved in any political protests or campus activism.
“At most, what appears to link these students is that they had some past interaction with U.S. law enforcement—no matter how minor—including receiving a speeding or parking ticket, a warning, or lawfully withdrawing a visa application,” the lawsuit stated.
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A Campaign of Chaos and Fear’
Loren Khogali, executive director of the ACLU of Michigan, criticized the Trump administration for disregarding constitutional norms.
In a statement to the Detroit Free Press, she said,“This administration’s objective seems to be spreading chaos and fear by targeting specific groups to intimidate the broader population… Now, they are going after international students—who not only enrich our academic institutions with diverse perspectives but also significantly contribute to our economy.”
This case follows a recent decision by a U.S. judge to temporarily halt the deportation of Krish Lal Isserdasani, a 21-year-old Indian undergraduate student whose visa had been revoked. Krish, who is scheduled to graduate in May, had also faced sudden visa cancellation.
