Trump Abruptly Reverses Student Visa Cancellations After Legal and Campus Backlash

After weeks of mounting legal battles, nationwide student protests, and growing pressure from universities, the Trump Administration has unexpectedly reversed its controversial move to revoke thousands of international students’ visas.

In a sharp about-face, the Department of Justice announced Friday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) would reinstate the immigration records of international students whose visas were abruptly canceled—often for minor or dismissed legal infractions. The reversal marks yet another retreat from an administration that has prioritized aggressive immigration crackdowns during Trump’s second term.

A Crisis Unfolds on Campuses

Earlier this month, ICE abruptly terminated the SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records of approximately 4,700 students, according to estimates from the American Immigration Law Association. This effectively stripped students of their legal status overnight, putting them at risk of detention, deportation, and denial of basic campus resources. Some students were barred from attending classes; others were detained or forced to self-deport.

The fallout was immediate. Federal judges in at least 23 states issued emergency orders blocking the mass cancellations, criticizing the moves as “arbitrary” and lacking due process protections. Over 100 lawsuits flooded the courts, filed by students, universities, and advocacy groups challenging the legality of the terminations.

ICE’s sudden policy shift came just hours before officials were expected to testify under oath in ongoing court proceedings. “ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations,” a Justice Department attorney told Politico Friday, signaling an abrupt—if temporary—halt to the practice.

What's Next for International Students?

Despite the apparent victory, many international students remain in legal limbo.

The Administration’s reversal appears to cover students whose legal troubles involved only “minor” or “dismissed” infractions—such as traffic violations or dropped charges. But it remains unclear whether the decision will protect students caught up in broader national security or political disputes.

Cases like that of Rümeysa Öztürk and Mahmoud Khalil highlight the lingering risks. Öztürk, a Tufts University doctoral student, was detained after her F-1 visa was revoked—allegedly for "activities in support of Hamas," though her attorneys maintain she was targeted for her vocal support of Palestinian rights. Khalil, a permanent U.S. resident and pro-Palestinian activist at Columbia University, now faces deportation after the State Department stripped him of his green card.

Both cases reflect a deeper ambiguity in the Administration’s policy: while minor infractions might no longer trigger mass terminations, national security cases—or politically sensitive cases—may still move forward. ICE retains broad authority to terminate student records under these circumstances, and the State Department has not clarified whether it will reverse its separate visa cancellations.

Behind the Curtain: ICE’s Quiet Expansion of Control

The chaotic rollout of visa cancellations has raised larger concerns about ICE’s growing influence over campus life.

Traditionally, universities have handled updates to student visa status through designated school officials. But under the Trump Administration, ICE has increasingly taken direct control, bypassing academic institutions. Immigration lawyers describe this as a major shift—one that places students directly under federal surveillance with limited recourse.

Administration officials have justified the expanded oversight as necessary for national security. But critics argue the moves align with broader political goals, particularly efforts to suppress political dissent on campus.

Just this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned that students engaging in pro-Palestinian activism could face visa revocations for allegedly “undermining U.S. foreign policy”—a chilling message that echoes post-9/11 efforts to monitor Muslim students and scholars, albeit now supercharged by digital surveillance tools.

The Bottom Line

For now, the Administration’s reversal brings temporary relief for thousands of international students who were thrust into crisis. But significant uncertainty remains. Students entangled in politically sensitive cases or national security allegations could still face detention, deportation, or additional visa revocations.

The battle over student rights, immigration enforcement, and political expression on campus is far from over—and this latest reversal may only be the beginning of broader legal and cultural clashes to come.