Washington [US], October 7: Many foreign students are suing the US government because their visas have been revoked, leaving them stranded because they are still allowed to study in the country.
The Hill newspaper on October 6 cited court documents showing that more than 200 foreign students affected by the Trump administration's immigration crackdown are suing the US State Department to restore their visas.
Although the U.S. government has restored international students' records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) after judges ruled in their favor in dozens of lawsuits, the government continues to withhold visas from many international students.
SEVIS records allow international students to stay in the United States after entering the country, while visas are necessary for them to be able to enter and exit the United States. Many people, even though their SEVIS records have been restored, are unable to enter the United States because their visas have been revoked. Many people in the United States do not dare to go home to visit their relatives for fear of not being allowed back into the country.
"I can't go home because my visa was revoked. It feels like I'm stuck here," said one anonymous international student.
Lawyers say some international students who left the United States are having trouble re-entering the country, even though their SEVIS status has been restored. Many of their clients have had to reapply for visas, but are still being denied.
That leaves other international students "practically unable to travel," said Charles Kuck, the lawyer leading the lawsuit challenging the government's visa repeal.
"You can't go home to visit your dying mother, you can't go home to attend your sister's wedding, you can't go home for vacation, you can't go study abroad," he said.
Immigration lawyers representing a total of 217 international students have filed two lawsuits against US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in the past two months, challenging the termination of their visas.
In both lawsuits, the plaintiffs argued that the State Department's revocation of the students' visas was unlawful.
The US State Department said in August that it had revoked more than 6,000 visas since Mr. Trump took office.
"We will not tolerate visa holders who violate our laws or support terrorism. That is not only the obvious, but an essential element of our national security," said US State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott.
"Unlike the previous administration, the Trump administration puts the safety of American citizens first. We will continue to revoke visas of those who endanger the safety of our citizens," Mr. Pigott added.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
