ICE Crackdown Returns? F1 Students Under Threat

A few days ago, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) had taken a U-turn on their crackdown against international students.

Hundreds of F-1 Visa holders who had their legal status terminated in the past weeks got it restored through SEVIS (Students and Exchange Visitor Information System), a federal database for immigrant students.

However, in a recent development, an immigration attorney revealed that this 180-degree move might just take another turn. Emily Neumann, took to X, to warn “ICE is trying to issue a new policy that gives itself permission to terminate SEVIS records solely on the basis of a visa revocation by the Department of State. Exactly the opposite of its previous policy and not in compliance with APA requirements.”

This follows the ongoing lawsuit filed by the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and others against ICE, forcing the agency to pause the crackdown that terminated the SEVIS status of nearly 5,000 students over minor infractions such as speeding tickets.

The defendant’s lawyer and the authorities failed to give reasons behind these terminations. But now, ICE is using a new route to do the same thing: terminate F-1 visas. And once again, international students are under threat.

For over 330,000 Indian students already struggling with OPT delays and H1B rejections, this is a nightmare. AILA is moving to court and urging Congress to intervene, but by the time the bureaucratic procedure concludes, the authorities might have already taken drastic steps against immigrants.

Everyone has been put on notice, making this the most uncertain time for Indians in America.