Federal Judge Blocks Trump Administration’s Attempt to Strip Legal Status of International Students

• U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White has issued a nationwide injunction blocking the Trump administration from terminating SEVIS records of international students.
• The ruling cites violations of the Administrative Procedure Act and arbitrary enforcement under a DHS criminal alien screening initiative.
• Judge White ordered DHS to reinstate terminated records and barred further adverse actions without court approval.
• The ruling impacts thousands of F-1 visa holders whose legal status was at risk due to the government’s mass record terminations.
• Judge White waived any bond requirement and scheduled the next hearing for August 1, 2025.

In a landmark ruling that halts an aggressive immigration enforcement effort by the Trump administration, U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White has issued a nationwide injunction preventing federal agencies from stripping legal status from international students based on sudden SEVIS terminations.

The decision, issued from the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, comes in response to lawsuits filed by foreign nationals whose student records were abruptly marked as “terminated” — a move that placed them at risk of detention and deportation.

Judge White found that the DHS initiative, known as the “Student Criminal Alien Initiative,” relied on flawed logic and violated both constitutional and regulatory procedures. The court determined that termination of SEVIS records effectively strips students of their legal status and employment authorization — a significant legal consequence that cannot be done arbitrarily.

Further, the court ruled that DHS and ICE must not impose any legal consequences stemming from the prior terminations and cannot reinstate those terminations unless explicitly authorized by the court. This means that impacted students can remain in the U.S., continue studying or working, and pursue immigration benefits without fear of retroactive enforcement.

The court also rejected the administration’s claim that SEVIS terminations were mere technical flags. Judge White cited government policies and agency manuals that affirm the termination of a SEVIS record equates to loss of lawful status, warning that “Defendants’ argument appears all the more absurd because their own manuals and website contradict this position.”

The full court order is available here: View Full Court Ruling (PDF)

The decision provides sweeping protection not only for named plaintiffs but also for thousands of similarly situated international students. The judge emphasized that “unlawful conduct by the government must be checked,” and warned against future enforcement tactics that bypass legal protections.

The next court hearing is scheduled for August 1, 2025, with joint status reports due by July 25. The ruling marks one of the most significant judicial interventions in immigration policy under President Trump’s second term.