US federal judge temporarily blocks Trump administration from deporting Indian student

New York: A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the Trump administration from deporting a 21-year-old undergraduate Indian whose student visa was cancelled.

Krish Lal Isserdasani has been pursuing a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison with an F-1 student visa since 2021.

Court documents, as seen by PTI, said that “having maintained full-time enrollment and good academic standing, Isserdasani is now in the final semester of his senior year with less than 30 days remaining until an expected graduation on May 10, 2025.”

The documents filed in the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin said Tuesday that Isserdasani “acknowledges that he was arrested on November 22, 2024, after he and his friends got into a verbal argument with another group while walking home late at night from a bar.

"Although Isserdasani was arrested for disorderly conduct, the District Attorney declined to pursue charges after reviewing the case. As a result, Isserdasani never had to appear in court and believed the matter was completely resolved with no possible immigration consequences,” the court documents said adding that aside from this encounter, Isserdasani has had no other interactions with law enforcement.

However, on April 4, 2025, the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s International Student Services (ISS) office informed Isserdasani by email that his Student and Exchange Visitor System (SEVIS) record had been terminated.

The SEVIS has been terminated by the US Student and Exchange Visitor Programme operated by the Department of Homeland Security for “Otherwise failing to maintain status- Individual identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked. SEVIS record has been terminated.” The court papers state that Isserdasani received no communication from US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the university, or the State Department regarding any revocation of his visa.

"He was given no warning, no opportunity to explain or defend himself, and no chance to correct any potential misunderstanding before his F-1 student visa record was terminated in SEVIS,” it said.

It added that as a result of the termination, Isserdasani will be prevented from completing his degree and applying for Optional Practical Training (OPT) to gain work experience as authorised by his F-1 student visa.

F1 visa is issued to international students who are attending an academic programme or English Language Program at a US college or university.

OPT is temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study. Eligible students can apply to receive up to 12 months of OPT employment authorisation before completing their academic studies (pre-completion) and/or after completing their academic studies (post-completion).

According to the email notifying Isserdasani that his SEVIS record was terminated, his authorisation to remain in the United States ends on May 2, 2025, before completing his final semester and graduating on May 10.

"Isserdasani and his family have reportedly invested approximately USD 240,000 in his education in the United States, and he stands to lose USD 17,500 in tuition for the current semester. He would also be liable for rental payments for the next four months despite being unable to remain in the country,” the court papers said.

"Finally, Isserdasani reports that the psychological impact of the termination has been overwhelming, causing difficulty in sleeping and fear that he will be placed in immediate detention and deportation. So much so that he reports being afraid to leave his apartment for fear of being apprehended at any moment,” it added.

District Judge William Conley said in the order that Isserdasani’s motion for a temporary restraining order is granted.

"Pending a preliminary injunction hearing”, the defendants are enjoined from terminating Isserdasani’s F-1 student status records from the Student and Exchange Visitor System and directly or indirectly enforcing, implementing, or otherwise taking any action or imposing any legal consequences as the result of the decision to terminate his SEVIS records, including revoking Isserdasani’s visa or detaining him.

The court will hold a preliminary injunction hearing in the case on April 28.

Madison attorney Shabnam Lotfi said that the order is believed to be one of the first national victories for international student visa holders whose records were terminated. About 1,300 students nationwide have seen their SEVIS records terminated abruptly.

The targeting of foreign nationals affiliated with prestigious American universities comes amid the Trump administration’s larger immigration crackdown, CNN reported.