Students who fled the US fearing deportation from authorities now see no way out to return even after their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) record was reinstated by the US State Department, reported The Indian Express, on Saturday, May 3.
As per the report a 25-year-old Master’s student from Telangana, studying communication in Texas, faced a crisis when his SEVIS record was abruptly terminated earlier this month.
SEVIS, the US federal database managing international students’ legal status, marks a student as “out of status” once terminated, exposing them to deportation risks. Fearing detention or fines, the student booked a flight and returned to Hyderabad on April 19.
Confusion prevails
On April 29, the student discovered his SEVIS status had been restored to “active” without explanation. However, he found his US visa revoked, leaving him unable to return. This pattern of quiet reinstatements has emerged for dozens of international students, particularly Indian nationals, across the US in late April, often without legal action, according to The Indian Express report.
The Telangana student’s SEVIS termination was due to an arrest over a housemate dispute, initially logged as a family assault. Despite the case being dismissed in court on March 20, his SEVIS record was revoked on April 4. Other students faced similar terminations due to minor infractions like speeding violations, dropped misdemeanor charges, or mistaken identity.
The student further blamed the misappropriation of information on social media and other sources, to be the cause of the exodus of students from the US, out of fear.
While SEVIS reinstatements allow students to resume studies or Optional Practical Training (OPT) in theory, those who leave the US face significant barriers. Their revoked F-1 visas remain invalid for travel, leaving their academic and professional futures uncertain.
