Thousands Lost Status Without Warning
SEVIS reinstatement for international students follows sudden status revocation of over 4,700 students in spring 2025. The terminations came with little warning. Some students were forced to quit jobs. Others fled the country out of fear of detention.
Many were unaware of their rights. Some couldn’t afford legal help. In several cases, their visas were also revoked.
ICE Says It’s Fixing It—But Issues Remain
The government is now mailing letters to students, confirming reinstatement of SEVIS status. ICE says students can use the letters with schools and employers.
But students and lawyers argue the letters offer little security. Officials have shown no signs they will restore revoked visas. And ICE’s policy still allows for terminations without due process.
Some students find themselves stranded abroad.
One student, who worked in a Houston lab, left the U.S. after authorities canceled his status and revoked his visa.
He now lives in South Asia, unemployed and grieving his father’s recent death. He can’t re-enter the U.S. due to a long visa wait time. His credit has plummeted. Debt in America lingers.
“This affected my whole life,” he said.
Arrest Records Resurface, Despite Resolution
Another student, a programmer in Texas, had completed probation for a past DUI charge. They were supposed to seal the case.
Still, ICE used the record to revoke his status. He has since regained his status, but he no longer trusts the system.
“If the U.S. won’t forgive one mistake, why should I stay?” he asked.
Mental Health Toll Is High
A Ph.D. student at Iowa State nearly returned to Bangladesh. Pending marijuana charges, though no conviction, triggered his termination.
He described the time as a “dark period.” He hid indoors, fearing surveillance. After reinstatement, he returned to teaching but decided to leave the U.S. after graduation.
“The risk isn’t worth the degree,” he said.
Confidence in the U.S. Is Diminishing
Many students now see the U.S. as unstable for international education. Visa reinstatement hasn’t erased their trauma.
Legal experts say ICE’s use of arrest records—regardless of conviction—sets a dangerous precedent. Students fear they might be targeted again.
They say the damage has already been done. And for some, the American dream is over.
Source: AP News
