Trump's F-1 visa crackdown: Indian student loses visa despite being cleared by court

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An Indian student living in the US has found himself in a heartbreaking situation after being cleared of all charges in court—only to have his student visa revoked, according to a report by the India Today Digital.

The student, whose identity was stolen and misused, took all the right steps—reporting the incident, presenting video evidence, and going through the full legal process. In the end, the court found him not guilty.

Despite being proven innocent, the aftermath has taken a heavy toll. His SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record was terminated, effectively putting his legal status in jeopardy. Now, he faces the possibility of having to leave the country voluntarily.

This is one of many instances where Indian students have had their visas revoked despite being innocent or involved in minor infractions that typically do not warrant such severe action. In several cases, even minor offenses such as traffic violations, including speeding, or low-level charges like shoplifting have led to the cancellation of student visas.

Chand Paravathneni, an immigration attorney based in Texas who is currently representing more than 30 similar cases, told India Today Digital that numerous Indian students in the US have recently received emails notifying them that their visas had been revoked. The identities of the affected students, many of whom may now be forced to return to India voluntarily, have not been disclosed.

"These students have spent lakhs of rupees, taken educational loans, and now, they’re not even allowed to complete their degrees. This is really concerning," he told India Today Digital.

"The common thread among all these students is that they were flagged once — that’s all it took," he further added.

Students facing visa revocation do have legal avenues available to seek assistance and challenge the decision.

"They can contest the revocation through legal channels and request that it be reversed. Self-deportation should always be the last resort," Paravathneni told India Today Digital.

Students fighting legal battle

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Hampshire filed a lawsuit on Monday representing a Dartmouth College student whose student immigration status was abruptly revoked during the administration of former President Donald Trump.

According to the case, Chinese student Xiaotian Liu has been studying computer science at Dartmouth since September 2023. He received a mail from US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) that his visa got revoked.

“We are alarmed by the Trump administration’s sudden revocation, without any notice or stated explanation, of student visas and status at universities across the country, including our client here in New Hampshire,” said Gilles Bissonnette, Legal Director of the ACLU of New Hampshire.

“International students are a vital community in our state’s universities, and no administration should be allowed to circumvent the law to unilaterally strip students of status, disrupt their studies, and put them at risk of deportation.”

The Department of Homeland Security manages the SEVIS database, which tracks international students on F, M, and J visas—F-1 for academics, M-1 for vocational training, and J-1 for exchange programs.

If a SEVIS record is terminated, the student instantly loses legal status and must either leave the U.S. within 15 days or pursue legal action to regain status. Failure to act can result in deportation and future visa bans.