Trump Administration Restores Records of Foreign Students' Visas: Was It Due to Court Pressure?

The Trump administration has decided to restore the SEVIS records (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) of thousands of foreign students who were previously affected by its controversial policy. This move follows weeks of legal challenges and court action, including restraining orders from judges. The decision comes after the Justice Department notified the court and the students' lawyers that it would retreat from its earlier stance, just as a judge was preparing to summon ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials for a thorough review.

According to a report by Politico, the decision will apply to students who had committed only minor or often overlooked legal violations. The Justice Department stated that SEVIS records are being reinstated for students who had filed lawsuits over the administration's actions, signaling a shift in policy. ICE is also now working on a new framework for handling SEVIS record terminations.

This change follows criticism of ICE’s earlier practices, which included expunging the records of students who had criminal allegations but were not formally charged or whose charges were later dismissed. The move also comes after a crackdown earlier this year, where then-Secretary of State Marco Rubio revoked the visas of several foreign students accused of participating in pro-Palestinian activities. This led to a broader effort to target students with minor legal violations, many of whom were removed from the SEVIS database.