Michigan ACLU Settles Lawsuit Against Secretary of Homeland Security for Revoking F-1 Student Visas

The ACLU of Michigan announced on June 2, 2025 that it had reached an agreement to dismiss the federal lawsuit it filed in April against the Trump administration for abruptly and illegally terminating the F-1 student immigration status of four international students, who were studying at Wayne State University and the University of Michigan.

On May 29, 2025 United States District Judge the Honorable Stephen J. Murphy III signed a Stipulated Order to dismiss Chinmay Deore, et. al. v. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, et. al. After the Dept. of Homeland Security revoked the F-1 student visas of four Michigan college students (two at Wayne State University and two at the University of Michigan), the ACLU of Michigan filed suit on behalf of the students.

“If it were not for the courage of our clients – and the hundreds of others across the nation – we could not have challenged this callous and ruthless attack on students who are simply trying to learn and enrich our community,” said Ramis Wadood, ACLU of Michigan staff attorney who led the litigation.

The Stipulated Order states that “ICE has a new policy stating: ‘If the Department of State revokes a
nonimmigrant visa effective immediately, SEVP may terminate the nonimmigrant’s SEVIS record based on the visa revocation with immediate effect, as such a revocation can serve as a basis of removability under INA § 237(a)(1)(B).’ A visa revocation that is effective upon departure rather than immediately does not establish removability under INA § 237(a)(1)(B), and therefore is not, in itself, a basis for termination of the SEVIS record under the new SEVIS policy.”

The dismissal follows the restoration of the students’ immigration statuses, and other favorable outcomes outlined in a written order filed with the court. The order provides that the government will not terminate their immigration status again in the future based solely on the cursory and flawed background check the government had initially performed, and that the government must ensure that the students are not denied future immigration benefits as a result of the termination of their student records.

“The aim of this lawless administration is to attack the rights of some, especially vulnerable communities like our clients, and to terrorize us all. The Trump regime will continue to come for our rights, and the ACLU will be just as relentless in pushing back on every front with all that we have,” said ACLU staff attorney Wadood.