Thousands of foreign students in the United States, including Ghanaians, have been given a reprieve after the Trump administration unexpectedly reversed its decision to cancel their student visa registrations.
During a court hearing in Washington, D.C., on Friday, a lawyer for the U.S. government announced that over 4,700 students would have their visa records reinstated.
This follows widespread legal action challenging the abrupt terminations, which had left many international students, including those from Ghana, at risk of deportation.
The affected students were caught up in a mass cancellation of records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), managed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Court documents revealed that most of the targeted students had only minor infractions on their records, with some cases already dismissed.
The cancellations sparked panic among students, triggering dozens of lawsuits across the United States. Courts have overwhelmingly ruled in favour of the students. In one instance, a federal judge in Atlanta ordered that 133 student records be reinstated.
The U.S. Justice Department has now confirmed that SEVIS records for the affected students will either remain active or be reactivated, pending a new policy to govern future cancellations. “ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations,” a Justice Department attorney said in court. “Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records… will remain Active or shall be re-activated if not currently active.”
However, ICE retains the authority to revoke SEVIS records for students who fail to maintain their visa status or engage in serious criminal activity under U.S. immigration law.
Despite the decision to restore SEVIS access, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stressed that this was not a complete reversal. “What we did is restore SEVIS access for people who had not had their visa revoked,” spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin clarified.
The situation remains complex, as the State Department — not ICE — ultimately controls the issuing and revocation of visas. Some students, fearing deportation, have already left the U.S. voluntarily. Among them is a Cornell University student who participated in pro-Palestinian protests and had his visa revoked.
Ghanaian students and their families are advised to remain vigilant and in contact with their respective universities and embassies for updates as the U.S. government finalizes a new policy regarding student visas.