By Kavita Mistry 
In a major legal development, five international students—three from India and two from China—have sued the US Department of Homeland Security and other immigration agencies. Filed in the US District Court in New Hampshire with support from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the lawsuit accuses officials of unlawfully revoking F-1 student visas without due process.
Loss of Visa Status Causing Immense Hardship
The students claim they are now out of lawful status, facing possible immigration detention and deportation. This unexpected visa termination has also caused them severe financial and academic difficulties. Many are now unable to complete their degrees or apply for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme, a key career step for many international graduates.
Indian Students Close to Graduation
Indian student Linkhith Babu Gorrela was set to graduate on May 20 with a master’s degree. Without a valid visa, he cannot receive his degree or participate in OPT. Two other Indian students—Thanuj Kumar Gummadavelli and Manikanta Pasula—are just one semester away from completing their master’s programs but now face uncertainty over their academic future.
Chinese Students Also Severely Affected
Chinese student Hangrui Zhang has lost his research assistantship, his sole source of income, due to his visa termination. Another Chinese student, Haoyang An, may have to abandon his master’s program entirely, despite spending over $329,000 on his education in the US.
Allegations of No Prior Notice
According to the lawsuit, none of the affected students were given the mandatory notice before losing their F-1 visa status. The ACLU argues that these terminations were arbitrary and violated the students rights, even though they maintained legal student status and followed all visa conditions.