Trump Backs Down on Cancellation of Student Records

Trump Backs Down on Student Record Cancellations

Reported by CNN

Here Are the Details

The administration of Donald Trump has backed down—at least for now—from its attempt to mass-cancel the immigration status records of thousands of international students in the United States.

The move had triggered a flood of lawsuits and widespread concern within the academic community.

The reversal was announced this Friday in several courts across the country,

Following weeks of litigation led by students who argued that their status had been canceled without prior explanation.

Background: Mass Cancellations of SEVIS Records

Trump DOJ Backs Down On International Student Visas: 1,500 Will Be Restored https://t.co/EWGFHCZhKv

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The conflict arose after actions by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), which began canceling records in the SEVIS system —used to track international students’ immigration status— and, in some cases, their visas.

These cancellations placed students at risk of immediate deportation, even for minor infractions or with no criminal history.

The Department of Justice (DOJ) informed the courts that ICE is developing a new policy to establish a «framework» for SEVIS record cancellations and that, in the meantime, it will suspend new revocations based solely on searches from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC).

As of Friday afternoon, more than 150 SEVIS records had been restored across 35 different universities, according to a preliminary CNN count.

Partial Relief for Students, but Doubts Remain

Trump administration backs down on terminating thousands of student visa records
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While the restoration of records provides relief to many students, lawyers warned it does not solve all the problems:

ICE may still cancel records for other reasons, such as immigration status violations or illegal activities.

It is unclear what will happen to students who self-deported or whose visas were revoked.

It also remains unspecified whether those who did not file lawsuits will be included in the reinstatements.

«ICE still retains authority to cancel records for other reasons under the Immigration and Nationality Act,» the DOJ stated in court proceedings.

The Consequences of the Crisis

Trump administration backs down in legal fight over canceling international students’ status records
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The case of Xiaotian Liu, a Dartmouth student and Chinese citizen, exemplifies the chaos: his status was canceled without any charges against him or traffic violations.

A judge had to issue a restraining order to prevent his deportation.

According to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), around 4,700 students were affected by these abrupt actions.

«ICE is now backpedaling after its disastrous actions, but long-term damages persist,» said Gregory Chen, AILA’s Senior Director of Government Relations.

Trump Backs Down on Cancellation of Student Records

Trump administration backs down in legal fight over canceling international students’ status records
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— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) April 25, 2025

Although the government claims that restoring the records should halt the lawsuits, judges like Jeffrey White of San Francisco remain skeptical.

White demanded additional information from the DOJ and harshly criticized the administration’s constantly shifting policies.

«Each day seems to bring a ‘new world order’ from this administration,» the judge remarked during the hearing.

Student attorneys, like John Sinodis, argued that the government’s statements are «inadequate» and questioned what will happen to those who have already left the country or whose visas were revoked.

An Uncertain Future for Thousands of Students

Meanwhile, thousands of students affected by the cancellation of their records continue to face an uncertain future. Many have been unable to continue their studies or work in university-affiliated jobs,

Jeopardizing their legal stay in the country.

The crisis also threatens to impact universities, research institutions, and American companies that depend on international talent, raising concerns about long-term repercussions for the academic and economic competitiveness of the U.S.

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