The United States government has reversed its decision to cancel student visa registrations for thousands of foreign students, including Ghanaians, studying in the country.
During a court hearing in Washington, D.C., a lawyer for the U.S. government announced that over 4,700 students would have their visa records reinstated, bringing relief to many international students who had faced the 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). The cancellations, which sparked widespread panic among students, were largely due to minor infractions on their records, with some cases already dismissed.
Dozens of lawsuits were filed across the United States, with courts overwhelmingly ruling in favor of the students.
In a notable instance, a federal judge in Atlanta ordered the reinstatement of 133 student records. The U.S. Justice Department has now confirmed that SEVIS records for the affected students will either remain active or be reactivated, pending the development of a new policy to govern future cancellations.
According to a Justice Department attorney, “ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations… 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.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security clarified that this decision is not a complete reversal, with spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin noting that “what we did is restore SEVIS access for people who had not had their visa revoked.”
Factually, as the situation continues to unfold, some students who feared deportation have already left the United States voluntarily.
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.
