A U.S. federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the deportation of 133 international students whose visas were recently revoked by the Trump administration. This legal action comes amid widespread concern over the abrupt termination of student statuses in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), often without prior notice or due process.

The restraining order, granted by U.S. District Judge Victoria Calvert, temporarily halts the deportation of these students and mandates the reinstatement of their legal status within SEVIS. The affected students, hailing from at least five countries, argue that the visa revocations were arbitrary and lacked proper legal procedures. The order remains in effect until May 2, 2025, providing a window for further legal review .

This case is part of a broader pattern of legal challenges against the Trump administration’s intensified scrutiny of international students. Policies have expanded grounds for visa cancellations, including minor infractions or mere appearances in criminal databases, leading to thousands of SEVIS terminations across more than 240 universities .

In response to mounting legal pressure, the administration has begun reinstating some student visas and SEVIS records. However, immigration attorneys caution that without permanent legal protections, students remain vulnerable to sudden policy shifts .

Further hearings, including a preliminary injunction scheduled for May 13, 2025, will determine the long-term status of these students and potentially influence broader immigration policies affecting international scholars .

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