Indian, Chinese students sue Trump over F1 visa termination

Three Indian and two Chinese students in the US have sued the Department of Homeland Security and other immigration officials for terminating the F-1 visas of several international students.

The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) before the US District Court in New Hampshire, accuses the Trump administration of "unilaterally terminating the F-1 student status of hundreds, if not thousands, of international students."

What does the lawsuit say

The lawsuit suggests students not only face the threat of deportation or visa cancellation, but also "severe financial and academic hardship." It said the government did not give the required notice before terminating a foreign student's legal status. 

Among the petitioning students are Chinese nationals Hangrui Zhang and Haoyang An, and Indian nationals Linkhith Babu Gorrela, Thanuj Kumar Gummadavelli and Manikanta Pasula. 

Hangrui's research assistantship has been terminated due to the termination of his F1 visa status. Haoyang may have to abandon his degree despite having already invested $329,196 (€289,467). 

Gorrela is due to finish his degree on May 20, but cannot do so or participate in an additional training program without a valid F1 visa. Gummadavelli and Pasula would have one more semester left before finishing their degree. 

International students in the US concerned

The Trump administration's tightening of student visa policies sparked widespread concern among international students, universities and advocacy groups. 

Chinese and Indian students make up a large chunk of international students in the United States.

More than 1,000 international students at US colleges and universities have had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since late March, according to a review of university statements and correspondence with school officials by The Associated Press.