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The transcript version of our weekly Q&A livestream for corporate immigration professionals. Join our Immigration News Digest Newsletter for more immigration updates.
By Kimberley (Best) Robidoux & Miki Kawashima Matrician
🔥 Question: What’s going on with recent visa revocations and SEVIS terminations for F-1 students and graduates?
Response: At the end of March, the U.S. Department of State began revoking F-1 visa stamps for certain students and recent graduates of U.S. institutions. Shortly after, many of these individuals saw their SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) records terminated as well. Typically, the designated school official (DSO) at a university maintains these records, and terminations occur when a student fails to maintain status—like through unauthorized employment or not carrying a full course load. However, in this case, ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) itself initiated terminations, an action usually limited by statute. These terminations affected not only F-1 status, but also CPT, OPT, and STEM OPT benefits for many.
🔥 Question: Why are these SEVIS terminations happening now?
Response: In the past few weeks, the U.S. government changed its usual approach and began terminating F-1 statuses instead of—or in addition to—revoking visa stamps. This means students could no longer remain in the U.S. even if they held valid visa stamps. Some terminations appear linked to criminal records, arrests, or even situations where students were victims of crimes. In other cases, ICE terminated status without clear reasoning, and without due process. We’ve also heard of cases involving minor infractions or social media activity that were cited as justification, including posts related to the Middle East conflict being labeled as anti-Semitic.
🔥 Question: How were F-1 nonimmigrants notified of these terminations or revocations?
Response: Some received emails from the U.S. Department of State stating their F-1 visas had been revoked. Others were informed by their DSO that their SEVIS records were terminated, which meant CPT, OPT, or STEM OPT benefits were also revoked. These notifications often lacked detailed reasoning—typically stating only that the individual failed to maintain status or was flagged in a criminal records check. As a result, students were left confused and uncertain about what triggered the action, with their work authorizations being terminated immediately.
🔥 Question: Were employers notified when a student’s work authorization was terminated?
Response: No, employers were not directly notified by the U.S. government. Instead, they learned of the termination through the students themselves. Once notified, employers are legally required to stop employment to avoid violating immigration laws. This lack of formal notification places employers—especially HR and global mobility professionals—in a tough position, as they may unknowingly continue employing individuals who are no longer authorized to work.
🔥Question: What’s the impact of this on HR professionals and global mobility teams? Response: Employers are caught in a difficult spot. Without official government notification, they must rely on students to disclose their status changes. Yet once informed, they must act quickly to comply with employment laws. This has created uncertainty and stress for both employers and affected employees, particularly when work authorization termination is effective immediately.
🔥 Question: What developments occurred as the number of SEVIS terminations increased?
Response: As awareness of the issue grew, affected individuals began filing lawsuits seeking temporary restraining orders (TROs) and injunctions against ICE. Many of these legal actions were successful, with courts ordering SEVIS reinstatements and finding that plaintiffs demonstrated a strong likelihood of success and risked irreparable harm, including deportation and loss of employment or education. Some individuals have already returned to classes or resumed employment under restored OPT or STEM OPT benefits. In a few cases, the government has even reinstated status without any legal challenge, indicating the situation is highly fluid and still evolving.
🔥 Question: What’s the latest on Venezuelan TPS and work authorization?
Response: The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld a lower court decision preserving TPS protections for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans. These individuals were at risk of losing their work authorization on April 3rd and deportation protection on April 7th. A stay issued on March 31st paused that outcome, and USCIS guidance followed on April 2nd. The court’s ruling means that TPS beneficiaries can continue to live and work in the U.S.—welcome news for employers and HR professionals managing compliance for affected workers.
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