Federal Judge Tells ICE to Hit Undo on 133 Student Visa Terminations

In a major reversal for U.S. immigration enforcement, a federal judge in Georgia has ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to reinstate the legal statuses of 133 international students by Tuesday at 5 p.m.

The students, who were mostly in good academic standing and on the cusp of graduation, suddenly found their F-1 student visas terminated and their records wiped from Homeland Security’s SEVIS database. According to the students, this was done with zero warning or explanation—and without a chance to even respond. SEVIS, for those not in the know, is the government’s main tool for tracking non-immigrant students.

U.S. District Court Judge Victoria Calvert, a Biden appointee, issued a temporary restraining order and demanded that student statuses be restored retroactively to March 31, 2025. In her order, Calvert wrote, "Plaintiffs are likely to show that Defendants' termination of the SEVIS registration exceeds the bounds of statutory and regulatory authority and is therefore unlawful." That’s legalese for "ICE, you might have gone a bit rogue here."

The lawsuit, filed by the ACLU and other groups, lists several government officials as defendants, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, and acting ICE Director Todd Lyons. Details from the Department of Justice’s side remain sealed for now.

The plaintiffs claim the terminations were a not-so-subtle attempt to pressure students to leave the U.S. voluntarily, despite them having valid student visas and, for most, squeaky clean records. Many of the students are enrolled in STEM programs or work placements, highlighting just how high-achieving this group is.

According to their argument, DHS’s termination of SEVIS records was a tactic designed to force students out, rather than a proper enforcement action. The government, meanwhile, maintains that the revocations were valid—citing criminal record checks and regulatory grounds for deportability, even when no arrests had happened.

Judge Calvert wasn’t buying it. She found that the terminations likely overstepped legal boundaries and violated both the Administrative Procedure Act and the Fifth Amendment. The judge also pointed out that the students faced real and lasting damage: loss of legal status, education, employment, and a good dose of mental distress. On balance, she said, the harm to the students outweighed any government concerns, and the public interest sided with the students.

Akiva Freidlin, senior staff attorney at ACLU-Georgia, welcomed the decision and emphasized that "the Constitution protects everyone on American soil." Friedlin added that the Trump administration can’t just skip due process and threaten students with deportation for no good reason.

The next hearing in the case, which could lead to more lasting protection for these students, is set for Thursday, April 24. For now, it looks like these students have a second chance to finish what they started in the U.S.—and maybe even get back to those finals.