Fri Apr 18 23:11:48 UTC 2025: ## Federal Lawsuit Challenges Trump-Era Crackdown on International Students

**Washington, D.C. – April 19, 2025** – A class-action lawsuit filed Friday seeks to reinstate the legal status of over 1,100 international students affected by a Trump-era policy that led to visa revocations and deportation threats. The suit, brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), alleges the students were denied due process and their rights violated.

The lawsuit, filed in New Hampshire federal court, represents students from more than 170 colleges and universities across the U.S., including at least 100 in New England and Puerto Rico. Plaintiffs claim they received little to no warning before their F-1 student visas were revoked, jeopardizing their ability to complete their studies and remain in the country.

Two named plaintiffs, Manikanta Pasula (India) and Hangrui Zhang (China), illustrate the impact of the policy. Pasula, nearing completion of his master’s degree, faces an uncertain future, while Zhang, a Ph.D. candidate, has lost his research assistantship – his sole source of income.

The ACLU argues that the government failed to provide the legally mandated notice before terminating the students’ status. While the Department of Homeland Security has yet to comment, the State Department previously stated it revoked visas from individuals acting against national interests, citing examples including protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza.

However, colleges claim that most affected students were not involved in such protests. Many were targeted for minor infractions, such as old traffic violations, or for reasons that remain unclear. Federal judges have already granted temporary restraining orders in other states, temporarily protecting some students from deportation. The lawsuit aims to secure similar protection nationwide.

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