The federal government reversed the termination of legal status for international students according to an announcement at a Friday court hearing. It remains unclear how the move affects the three members of the Duke community whose visas were revoked in early April.
The decision will restore student visa registrations maintained in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS). It follows hundreds of court challenges filed nationwide and the cancellation of visas for 1,500 international students at 222 schools in recent weeks, including two Duke graduate students and an alumnus on Optional Practical Training.
“Duke Visa Services is working with our students who are affected by the latest developments. Guidance from the University for our international students and scholars has not changed,” wrote Kevin D’Arco, senior associate dean of international students, in a Friday afternoon email to The Chronicle. “... We understand there is still uncertainty and concern among our international community; students should continue to meet with their DVS liaison, DISC staff and faculty regarding their summer plans.”
University administrators did not respond to The Chronicle’s requests for comment on whether any Duke students’ visa status or SEVIS records have been reinstated in time for publication.
The federal government’s actions are confined to reactivating SEVIS records and do not include reversal of any visa revocations, according to Tricia McLaughlin, a Homeland Security Department spokesperson. The role of an active SEVIS record and its relationship to visa status has been a point of contention between the federal government and immigration attorneys.
Joseph Carilli, a Justice Department lawyer, said that Immigration and Customs Enforcement is working on a new framework to review SEVIS records of international students at U.S. colleges. Until this process is complete, records deleted from SEVIS will be restored and students’ legal status will be reactivated.
Student news outlets at Harvard University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and University of Pennsylvania have reported that students whose visas were previously revoked have since had their visa status set to active.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
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Claire Cranford is a Trinity sophomore and news editor of The Chronicle's 121st volume.