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A significant number of international students in the United States are facing tumultuous times following the termination of their legal status by the government. One student, who prefers to stay anonymous fearing retaliation, found himself in dire straits when he abruptly lost his laboratory job in Houston. Due to concerns about potential detention, he hastily booked a one-way ticket back to his home country in South Asia after receiving news that his American visa had been revoked.

Although the Trump administration eventually reversed its stringent measures against international students, the road to recovery remains difficult. Many students affected by the abrupt cancellations, which saw over 4,700 students lose their study permission this spring, are now navigating a complex process of reinstating their records and rebuilding their lives. For those who left the country, there is no certainty of being able to return, and others are encountering obstacles in re-enrolling in schools and reclaiming their jobs.

The stress and mental toll of these experiences linger, with many students feeling vulnerable about their status. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has expanded the criteria for terminating student visas, causing apprehension among international students about future targeting.

In court hearings in Oakland, California, international students’ lawyers requested a nationwide injunction to protect their clients. However, government attorneys argued this was unnecessary, stating that ICE was in the process of mailing status reactivation letters to the affected students, a process that would take approximately two weeks. Plaintiffs' lawyers, however, criticized the move, labeling the letters as inconsequential since there was no indication that ICE had asked the State Department to restore revoked visas.

One student, who left Houston within a week of learning about his status termination, pointed to a dismissed 2021 fraud case as a possible reason for the sudden revocation. He had built nearly a decade-long life in the U.S., working in "optional practical training" that permits foreign students to stay and work for up to three years on their visas. Now back in his home country, he struggles to find work and faces financial difficulties due to an outstanding car loan and credit card debt in the U.S., which have adversely affected his credit score.

Ben Loveman, an immigration attorney, mentioned that many students may not have known their rights or had the resources to hire a lawyer, making reinstatement more challenging. For another affected student, a Nepali programmer in Texas, the ordeal brought back to light a four-year-old drunken driving case for which he had already served probation, performed community service, and paid fines. Despite the status termination being lifted, he remains unsettled and is considering relocating to another country for better opportunities.

Meanwhile, a Ph.D. student at Iowa State University described how the status revocation pushed him to a breaking point. With charges of marijuana possession pending against him, he felt he was being followed, leading to severe stress and isolation. Now reinstated, he resumed his teaching assistant job but had to catch up on nearly three weeks of grading.

The complexity and emotional strain of these terminations reveal deeper issues within the system affecting international students, many of whom still grapple with the uncertainty of their futures in the U.S.