A federal judge has mandated the U.S. government to reinstate the visa status of two international students in Oregon and has temporarily halted their deportation from the country. This decision follows the termination of their visas earlier this month. The 14-day temporary restraining order was issued by U.S. District Judge Michael McShane in response to lawsuits filed by a student at Oregon State University and another at the University of Oregon.
During a federal court hearing in Eugene, Judge McShane questioned federal attorneys about the regulations applied in terminating the students’ legal status. The judge sought clarity on the specific guidelines U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was following in these cases. Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Conti, representing the Department of Homeland Security, stated that there had not been sufficient time to gather all necessary information and contended that the students did not face irreparable harm, as no final agency decision had been made that they could contest administratively.
The lawsuits, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon and an immigration law firm against the Trump administration, claim that the students’ visas were revoked without notice or a meaningful explanation to the students or their universities. The legal action was taken on behalf of Aaron Ortega Gonzalez, a 32-year-old Mexican citizen pursuing a doctoral degree in rangeland ecology at Oregon State University, and a 29-year-old British graduate student, identified only as Jane Doe, pursuing two master’s degrees at the University of Oregon.
Across the nation, more than 1,000 students have experienced visa revocations or terminations of their legal status, often with minimal notice. In response, students have initiated lawsuits in multiple states, alleging denial of due process. Federal judges in Georgia, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Montana, and Washington state have issued temporary restraining orders to protect these students from deportation efforts.
