Detroit: In a groundbreaking legal move, four students from Michigan public universities, including Chinmay Deore from India, have filed a lawsuit challenging the termination of their student immigration status. The students claim that their status was unlawfully revoked in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) without proper notice or explanation, affecting their ability to continue their studies in the United States.
The lawsuit, filed against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and immigration officials, also includes Xiangyun Bu and Qiuyi Yang from China, and Yogesh Joshi from Nepal. The students argue that the unlawful termination of their immigration status in SEVIS, a database that tracks nonimmigrant students and exchange visitors, has disrupted their educational plans.
Chinmay Deore, the 21-year-old Indian student, was initially brought to the U.S. on an H-4 dependent visa in 2004, later returning to the country in 2014 with his family. After completing high school in Michigan, Deore enrolled at Wayne State University in August 2021 to pursue a degree in computer science. He lawfully applied for an F-1 student visa in May 2022, after transitioning out of his H-4 status due to age limitations.
Deore, who expects to graduate in May 2025, is now living with his family in Canton, Michigan. He and the other plaintiffs are seeking to restore their student status and prevent their deportation, claiming that their rights were violated when their statuses were terminated without adequate explanation. The outcome of the lawsuit could have significant implications for the thousands of international students in the U.S. who rely on student visa statuses to pursue their education.
