In a significant legal challenge to the Trump administration’s intensified immigration policies, five international students — three from India and two from China — have filed a class-action lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of New Hampshire. Represented by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the students are contesting what they describe as the unlawful termination of their F-1 student visas by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The lawsuit alleges that DHS stripped visa status from “hundreds, if not thousands” of international students without affording them due process, thereby violating their constitutional rights. The plaintiffs are seeking immediate judicial relief to reinstate their lawful status, allowing them to complete their academic programs and avoid the threat of detention and deportation.
Leading the legal battle are Indian students Manikanta Pasula, Linkhith Babu Gorrela, and Thanuj Kumar Gummadavelli — all enrolled at Rivier University in New Hampshire. Gorrela, a master’s student, faces the possibility of missing his scheduled graduation on May 20 due to the visa revocation, a development that also jeopardizes his eligibility for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, a crucial post-graduation employment pathway for international students.
Pasula and Gummadavelli, both nearing the end of their undergraduate studies, face similar disruptions. With just one semester left, they warn that failure to restore their visa status would derail their educational goals and long-term career plans in the United States.
The two Chinese plaintiffs, Hangrui Zhang and Haoyang An, are also grappling with severe consequences. Zhang, a research assistant, has already lost his only source of income, while An — who has invested over $329,000 in his U.S. education — may be forced to abandon his academic pursuits entirely.
According to the ACLU, all five students have maintained full compliance with their visa obligations: they are in good academic standing, have not engaged in unauthorized employment, and possess clean legal records. The lawsuit underscores the urgent need for court intervention to prevent what the plaintiffs describe as unjust and life-altering outcomes.
“This case reflects a broader pattern of punitive immigration enforcement that undermines the rights of lawful residents and disrupts lives without due process,” said an ACLU spokesperson. “We are committed to ensuring that these students — and others similarly affected — receive the fair treatment they are entitled to under the law.”
The outcome of the case could have far-reaching implications for international students across the country, especially as the administration doubles down on restrictive immigration measures in its second term.
Recent Random Post:
