FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2025
Contact:
media@nipnlg.org
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration, joined by the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Massachusetts (AICUM), filed an amended complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts. This filing updates the original complaint submitted on April 24, 2025, and challenges U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) unlawful mass termination of SEVIS records for F-1 students and participants in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program.
This spring, DHS unlawfully terminated SEVIS records based on visa revocations and alleged criminal histories—neither of which is a lawful basis under current regulations. Although many records have since been reactivated, DHS and the State Department continue this unlawful practice.
Under DHS’s direction, the Department of State arbitrarily revoked thousands of student visas solely because students’ names appeared in law enforcement databases, without any individualized review or due process.
The Department of State has also misled affected students, and continues to do so, by sending emails falsely claiming they must leave the U.S. immediately, even though visa status governs entry, and are inapplicable to whether an already-admitted student may remain in the country.
DHS has since formalized a policy allowing SEVIS record terminations based on visa revocations, continuing this unlawful practice.
Through this amended complaint, we are primarily asking the court to do three things:
- Hold unlawful and set aside the policy under which the mass visa revocations were carried out, and enjoin the government from using this practice again;
- Order the government to stop sending false and coercive emails to international students; and
- Hold unlawful and set aside the policy that purports to permit the termination of SEVIS records based solely on visa revocation.
The Presidents’ Alliance and AICUM are represented by the law firms Green & Spiegel, Zimmer, Citron & Clarke LLP, and the National Immigration Project.
Miriam Feldblum, President and CEO of the Presidents’ Alliance, stated:
“We are asking the court to prevent the government from engaging in similar actions in the future and to hold the agencies accountable for these unprecedented and damaging practices. The actions of the government have created chaos and fear. Even students whose SEVIS records have been reinstated continue to face uncertainty, unanswered questions about their education and career prospects, and ongoing vulnerability under the new policy. Colleges and universities have faced academic disruption, administrative burdens, and reputational harm, all of which compromise their ability to support international students. This instability jeopardizes global talent recruitment, threatens academic freedom, and places undue strain on campus systems. Through this amended complaint, higher education is standing together to defend the rights and contributions of international students and scholars, whose presence, innovation, and ideas strengthen our communities and grow our economy.”
Rob McCarron, President and CEO of AICUM, stated:
“Our overarching goal for this litigation is to ensure due process, and that any changes to the SEVIS program be done in full compliance with statutory and regulatory procedures. More than 80,000 international students travel to Massachusetts to pursue a higher education, adding vibrancy and innovation to our campuses, and often founding startups in Massachusetts. Providing due process, proper notice, stability and clarity – to students and the institutions that serve them – is critical so that everyone fully understands what needs to be done to enroll in a college or university in Massachusetts.”
Khaled Alrabe, Staff Attorney at the National Immigration Project, said:
“The mass visa revocations and terminations of SEVIS records without any lawful basis or individualized review are unprecedented and have sown fear, uncertainty, and chaos in the lives of international students, many of whom are here without strong family or other support networks, and most of whom are navigating a complex immigration system without legal guidance. Even students whose records have been reinstated remain vulnerable under an unlawful policy that continues to jeopardize academic freedom and stability, while also disrupting universities’ ability to support their students, maintain compliance, and carry out their educational missions. We are proud to stand alongside our partners and impacted students to demand accountability, defend due process, and ensure that international students can pursue their education free from fear and coercion.”
International students comprise less than 6% of the U.S. higher education population, yet their impact is outsized. They fuel innovation, support critical research, strengthen our workforce, and advance America’s global leadership and competitiveness. In the 2023-2024 academic year alone, international students contributed approximately $44 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 378,000 jobs. Yet policies like the one challenged in this lawsuit threaten to undermine our ability to attract and retain top global talent, harming not only individual students and campuses, but also long-term economic strength, innovation capacity, and national security. Through this legal action, the higher education community reaffirms its commitment to international students and scholars.
Resources:
- Amended Complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- FAQs: Understanding Recent International Student Visa Revocations and SEVIS Record Terminations: Guidance for Colleges & Universities
- Briefing: Visa Revocations and SEVIS Terminations: Ongoing Administrative Actions, Litigations and Impact on International and other Noncitizen Students, Faculty and Staff
- Policy Brief: The Scope of Immigration Enforcement Actions Against International Students
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The National Immigration Project is a membership organization of attorneys, advocates, and community members who believe that all people should be treated with dignity, live freely, and flourish. We litigate, advocate, educate, and build bridges across movements to ensure that those most impacted by the immigration and criminal systems are uplifted and supported. Learn more at nipnlg.org. Follow the National Immigration Project on Bluesky, Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram at @NIPNLG.