EUGENE, Ore. — A federal judge in Oregon has intervened to halt the deportation process of two international students, demanding the U.S. government reinstate their visa statuses. On Monday, U.S. District Judge Michael McShane issued a 14-day temporary restraining order after the students, who attend Oregon State University and the University of Oregon, had their visas revoked earlier this month.
During a federal court session in Eugene, Judge McShane grilled government attorneys about the legal framework behind the decision to terminate these students’ visas, as reported by local media. “What guidelines is ICE following in making these decisions?” McShane queried, highlighting the need for clear regulatory direction from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Conti, representing the Department of Homeland Security, admitted the department needed more time to gather comprehensive details. Conti also argued that the students had not shown they were facing irreversible damage since no decisive agency ruling had been concluded, which could then undergo administrative challenges.
The lawsuits, brought forward by the American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon and an immigration advocacy firm, argue that the government terminated the students’ visas without proper notice or justification. One student in question is Aaron Ortega Gonzalez, a 32-year-old Mexican citizen pursuing a doctorate in rangeland ecology at Oregon State University. The other is a 29-year-old British national, referred to only as Jane Doe, who is studying for two masters degrees at the University of Oregon.
These cases are not isolated incidents; across the nation, more than 1,000 students have reportedly had their visas abruptly revoked with little warning. Consequently, similar lawsuits have emerged in various states, with plaintiffs claiming a breach of legal procedure. Federal judges in states like Georgia, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Montana, and Washington have issued temporary restraining orders to protect these students from immediate deportation actions.