We fought back when they attacked F-1 students
On March 28, 2025, DOGE was granted access to USCIS’s lake of data, which includes lots of personal, criminal, educational, academic information about beneficiaries and sponsors.
It started with terminations of visas for F-1 students who had DUI or similar offenses, under an obscure rule from the State Department.
Our followers will know that visa and status are two separate concepts in immigration law - a visa is a stamp in your passport that you present to CBP when you enter the United States. Status is what you have after you are admitted.
F-1 students are usually admitted D/S, which stands for the duration of status
ICE, which administers the SEVP (Student and Exchange Visitor Program) started to terminate people’s lawful immigration status in SEVIS
Schools and other lawyers panicked - ascribing to ICE way too much power over things that judges would later agree exceeded their power under regulations
After small immigration firms like Shao Law Firm fought back, ICE restored F-1 students’ status although, like in the Hawaii v. Trump travel ban case from the first administration, the Trump people went back and gave themselves power after the fact
Meaning, this could happen again. If it does, we’ll be ready to help you fight back.
