The UCSD Guardian first received word at 10 a.m. today that 18 of the 36 UC San Diego students facing visa revocations have had their legal status restored in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System.
At 4:10 p.m., University Communications sent The Guardian the following statement confirming this number:
“We are encouraged to learn that as of 04/24/2025, the federal government began reactivating many of the SEVIS records that they previously terminated. As of 04/25/2025, UC San Diego has a total of 17 SEVIS records still in terminated status, with 18 previously terminated records now reactivated. UC San Diego continues to monitor SEVIS records closely and is working directly with impacted students to provide them with relevant information.”
This statement omits the student who was deported at the border. Upon The Guardian’s request for further information, Matt Nagel, UCSD’s chief communications and marketing officer, said:
“The individual was deported at the border, so it was a different process.”
As of 6 p.m. today, the International Services and Engagement Office has updated its website to reflect these new developments and provide further information on SEVIS reactivations:
“If a previously terminated SEVIS record is successfully reactivated, an F-1 or J-1 student regains the benefits associated with their non-immigrant status while physically present within the U.S.”
These reactivations follow news of other visa termination reversals across the country today.
The Justice Department announced the Trump administration’s plan to address visa revocations and confusion around the SEVIS terminations today in several federal courts. This plan includes pausing further revocations while Immigration and Customs Enforcement develops a new F-1 visa management policy.
In the meantime, all F-1 visa holders will have their records restored in the SEVIS portal, and some applicable international students have already had their F-1 visas reinstated. Pending the issuance of ICE’s new policy, these restorations may not be permanent. There is currently no publicly available timeline for the release of this policy.
Federal courts are the battleground for these student visa revocations and reversals. As of April 25, there are over 100 active lawsuits against the federal government, citing inconsistency, injustice, and failure to follow due process in these abrupt SEVIS terminations and visa revocations. Before the Justice Department’s announcements today, around 40 federal judges had already granted temporary restraining orders.
Lawyers representing the federal government in these cases have been sharing this message from the Justice Department in courts and to news outlets using the following language:
“ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations. Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records for plaintiff(s) in this case (and other similarly situated plaintiffs) will remain Active or shall be re-activated if not currently active and ICE will not modify the record solely based on the NCIC finding that resulted in the recent SEVIS record termination.”
Visa management occurs across several federal agencies; while visas are issued by the State Department, the SEVIS portal is traditionally monitored by universities. Recently, however, as the Trump administration has cracked down on international students, the Department of Homeland Security has terminated student records in SEVIS without notifying universities. Such interagency discrepancies have sent international students mixed signals about their legal status.
At many universities, including UCSD, administrators have learned of visa revocations through routine checks of the SEVIS portal. UCSD ISEO’s FAQ page provides information on the unprecedented nature of federal intervention in the SEVIS portal:
“Unlike standard SEVIS Terminations which are usually conducted by the university for valid changes to a student’s visa status, these terminations are unique in that they are initiated by the federal government without prior notice to either the university or impacted students. In addition, there is little information provided by DHS on the reason for termination.”
University Communications told The Guardian last week that there has been no movement in the SEVIS portal since Friday, April 11.
This is an ongoing story. The Guardian will continue to provide updates as they become available.
This article was last updated at 9 p.m. on April 25. It was originally published at 5:30 p.m. on April 25.
