Legal action filed to defend international students facing deportation

A group of international students was recently granted legal relief through a preliminary injunction issued by a judge in response to a class-action lawsuit filed by attorney Charles Kuck against the federal government. The lawsuit alleges that the government unlawfully revoked the visas of these students without providing due process.

Charles Kuck, the lawyer behind the case, is now seeking to expand the lawsuit to potentially include thousands of affected students. Kuck filed a motion last week to turn his current case into a class-action lawsuit, aiming to challenge the legality of Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s coordination in mass visa revocations without proper notice. The motion argues that while Congress granted the authority to revoke individual visas, it did not authorize the mass revocation of all visas at once.

U.S. District Judge Victoria Marie Calvert of the Northern District of Georgia issued a preliminary injunction in favor of Kuck and the students affected by the visa revocations. This injunction extended a temporary restraining order against the Trump administration, granting relief to the 133 students impacted by the lawsuit. The lawsuit, originally directed at U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, focused on the government’s suspension of the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS) authorization for the students, consequently robbing them of their ability to work and re-enter the country if they left.

Judge Calvert’s order mandated that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) reinstate the visitor status of the affected foreign nationals studying or doing post-graduate work in Georgia, as well as those in other states as part of the lawsuit. Through this legal victory, these students were granted a reprieve from the threat of deportation, allowing them to continue their studies and stay in the country.

The case underscores the importance of due process and the protection of the rights of international students studying in the United States. It sheds light on the potential vulnerabilities faced by this group of students and highlights the role of the legal system in safeguarding their interests against unjust actions by the government.

The ongoing legal battle showcases the efforts of Charles Kuck to advocate for the rights of international students and to hold the government accountable for its actions. By seeking to expand the lawsuit to encompass a larger group of affected students, Kuck aims to create a broader impact and secure justice for those who have been wronged. The fight for justice and protection of the rights of international students remains at the forefront of this legal endeavor, emphasizing the importance of upholding fairness and due process for all individuals, regardless of their nationality.