In a significant policy reversal, the U.S. federal government has announced the temporary reinstatement of SEVIS records for hundreds—potentially thousands—of international students whose legal status had been jeopardized by sudden terminations in recent weeks.
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), overseen by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), is used to track the compliance of international students with their visa conditions. However, a wave of terminations by ICE, many based on minor disciplinary infractions or arrests with no formal charges, had thrown the legal status of thousands of students into question, sparking legal challenges and public outcry.
According to a statement read by Department of Justice attorney Joseph Carilli during a court hearing in Washington, D.C. on Friday, the government will now restore SEVIS records “at least temporarily” for affected students while it formulates a formal revocation policy. A copy of the statement was shared with NPR by Brian Green, an attorney representing one of the students.
Green, who represents an American University student whose SEVIS record was cancelled despite the absence of formal charges following an arrest, described the policy shift as “a sigh of relief” for the international student community. He noted that immigration attorneys have identified close to 5,000 students whose SEVIS entries were recently deleted. It remains unclear, however, whether all affected students will see their records restored or only those who have pursued legal action.
Federal judges in multiple jurisdictions had already begun issuing orders directing ICE to reinstate SEVIS records before Friday’s announcement, underscoring growing legal pressure on the government.
The terminations came as part of a broader crackdown on noncitizens under the Trump administration, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming the revocation of hundreds of student visas, including many tied to pro-Palestinian demonstrations on U.S. campuses.
Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor the Department of Justice has responded to requests for further comment regarding the long-term policy implications of the SEVIS reinstatements.
Sources:
- NPR, reporting by Joel Rose, April 2025
- U.S. District Court, Washington D.C. hearing transcript
- Statement shared by attorney Brian Green
Court for the District of Columbia 333 Constitution Avenue, N.W Picture by dcd.uscourts.gov
