A group of five international students in Missouri has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration after their student visas and legal statuses were abruptly revoked. The students claim that their registrations in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) were terminated without notice or cause, leading to the loss of their student status and employment authorization.
This lawsuit is part of a broader wave of legal challenges across the country, as more than 900 students at more than 128 colleges and universities have reported having their visas revoked or legal status terminated recently. These actions have raised alarms about potential violations of due process and students’ rights.
The plaintiffs include:
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A student from Nigeria at Truman State University
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A student from Spain at Northwest Missouri State University
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A student from Nepal at Southeast Missouri State University
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A student from Bangladesh, previously at Virginia Tech, currently employed in Kansas City
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Another student from Nigeria at Missouri University of Science and Technology, now employed in Columbia, Missouri
The lawsuit alleges that the revocation of their student visas appears to be linked to minor prior legal infractions. The students argue that their registrations were terminated arbitrarily and without explanation or prior notice, violating their rights and leaving them in a state of legal uncertainty.
This lawsuit follows similar actions taken by other international students. For instance, a separate legal challenge in Atlanta includes 133 plaintiffs, with several students from Missouri also joining this case. In April and March, Northwest Missouri State University reported that 43 of its international students had their visas revoked, and Missouri State University in Springfield confirmed the termination of six student visas. Additionally, in St. Louis, Webster University reported that 18 international students had their visas revoked, while Southern Illinois University Edwardsville noted that nine students’ visas were terminated, including those enrolled in the optional practical training (OPT) program.
These revocations have caused significant distress among international students, many of whom rely on their student status for both education and work opportunities in the U.S. The legal battles continue to unfold as students and universities seek to challenge these actions.
