In a major legal action, four foreign students—India’s Chinmay Deore among them—sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and immigration authorities in a federal lawsuit on Friday. The lawsuit, which was filed in Michigan, questions what the students say was the sudden and illegal cancellation of their F-1 student visas in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), making them susceptible to potential deportation.
Chinmay Deore, who is studying at a Michigan state university, led three fellow international students to stand up against the Trump government’s immigration policy, which they believe has arbitrarily broken up their education and put them at risk of losing their right to be in the US legally. All the four students had been lawfully in the nation under the F-1 visa program—a category of non-immigrant visas allotted to students on academic visas to study in approved institutions.
The heart of the lawsuit is the abrupt cancellation of their SEVIS records, which in the view of the students, was done without due process and an opportunity to appeal the revocation. SEVIS is an electronic database employed by the DHS to monitor and track schools and students within the U.S. immigration system. An open SEVIS record is crucial for international students to uphold lawful status. Absent this, they are deemed unlawfully present and liable for removal from the nation.
The complaint asserts that the students received no warning or notice of the termination, nor were they offered a chance to correct any possible problems. Deore and the other plaintiffs contend that such lack of transparency and procedural justice violates federal immigration law as well as constitutional due process protections.
Chinmay Deore added in a statement, “I arrived in the U.S. with aspirations to receive world-class education and contribute to society positively. Now, I find myself struggling for my lawful right to remain here, having done everything by the book.”
The complaint adds that the abrupt alteration of the immigrants’ status had catastrophic ramifications on their lives. Not only did the withdrawal of their visas threaten the possibility of their studying, but it also restricted access to necessary services such as on-campus accommodation, financial aid, and internships. Moreover, the psychological stress of the risk of deportation has put many of them under tremendous emotional strain.
Attorneys for the students have condemned the DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for what they call an arbitrary and capricious action that is legally without merit. “Our clients were not given notice, reasons, or any chance to respond,” said Rachel Bernstein, a lead attorney on the case. “This is not a technical glitch—this is a systemic failure with real human consequences.”
The Trump administration has come under constant criticism for its hardline approach to immigration. While attention has been drawn primarily to asylum seekers and illegal migrants, international students have also been affected by regulatory changes. Ranging from delays in visas to abrupt policy changes, foreign students have increasingly been worried about the absence of stability and clarity in the system.
One of the more contentious actions under Trump was the 2020 policy that would have forced foreign students to exit the country if their colleges went online-only for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. That order was subsequently revoked after public outcry and a series of lawsuits from major universities such as Harvard and MIT. This particular case, while distinct, mirrors similar concerns about the treatment of foreign students and the integrity of the immigration system.
The four students, whose names are being withheld for safety and legal reasons, are asking the court to immediately reinstate their F-1 status and issue a permanent injunction to prevent future terminations without due process. They are also asking the court to order DHS to issue clear procedures and standards prior to revoking a student’s immigration status.
Immigration activists have been in strong support of the students, describing their acts as courageous and necessary. “This lawsuit puts a spotlight on the growing vulnerabilities that international students experience in the U.S.,\” said International Student Advocacy Coalition Director Dr. Nina Patel. “When talented, diligent students like Chinmay Deore get caught up in the crossfire of bureaucratic inattention, it harms America’s international image as an open door to learning and innovation.
The federal court will soon consider preliminary motions. In the meantime, Deore and the other plaintiffs hang in legal limbo, hoping for resolution regarding their futures.
As the case unfolds, it could establish a significant precedent regarding how immigration officials treat student visas and procedural justice. At this point, the lawsuit serves as a powerful reminder of the intricate and frequently cruel realities experienced by international students in the United States.
