In a resounding legal setback for the Trump administration, a federal judge in California has issued an injunction halting the administration’s effort to strip thousands of international students of their legal status in the United States.
The ruling, handed down by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey White, came in response to the administration’s erratic and largely unexplained moves earlier this year to revoke and then partially reinstate the legal standing of nearly 4,700 foreign-born students enrolled in American universities. The policy shift caused confusion, fear, and instability across the higher education community.
Judge White, who was appointed by President George W. Bush, did not mince words in his sharply worded opinion. He described the administration’s actions as a “uniform policy that uniformly wreaked havoc not only on the lives of Plaintiffs here but on similarly situated F-1 nonimmigrants across the United States.” His ruling effectively blocks any further detainment or arrest of international students based solely on their immigration status, at least for the time being.
The case centers around students enrolled under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which is overseen by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). These students, many of whom are pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees at leading American universities, found themselves abruptly facing deportation or legal limbo when their statuses were revoked beginning in March.
Though the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later reversed some of those revocations, the judge pointed out that the harm had already been done—and warned that further instability could be on the horizon.
“The court is granting this injunction to provide the plaintiffs with a measure of stability and certainty that they will be able to continue their studies or their employment without the threat of re-termination hanging over their heads,” Judge White wrote.
The decision comes as the Trump administration continues its broader push to assert control over immigration policy in higher education. Just hours before the ruling, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem sent a letter to Harvard University, informing the school that its authorization to host international students had been terminated. Although that decision was also later reversed, Noem made it clear that the administration is just getting started.
“This administration is holding Harvard accountable for fostering violence, antisemitism, and coordinating with the Chinese Communist Party on its campus,” Noem posted on X (formerly Twitter). “It is a privilege, not a right, for universities to enroll foreign students and benefit from their higher tuition payments to help pad their multibillion-dollar endowments.”
Noem’s remarks appeared to signal a broader crackdown on higher education institutions across the country. She added, “Let this serve as a warning to all universities and academic institutions across the country.”
Judge White appeared unconvinced by the administration’s justifications, calling its conduct a “game of whack-a-mole” designed to dodge judicial scrutiny.
“At each turn in this and similar litigation across the nation, Defendants have abruptly changed course to satisfy courts’ expressed concerns,” White wrote. “It is unclear how this game of whack-a-mole will end unless Defendants are enjoined from skirting their own mandatory regulations.”
Legal experts say the judge’s ruling not only halts the administration’s immediate efforts but may also serve as a precedent in future litigation challenging executive overreach in immigration policy. Immigration attorneys and advocates for international students praised the decision, saying it restores some level of security for students who had been caught in the political crossfire.
“The Trump administration’s treatment of international students has been chaotic and cruel,” said one immigration attorney familiar with the case. “This ruling sends a strong message that the rule of law still matters, and that students who are here legally should not be subjected to arbitrary and capricious enforcement.”
For now, international students affected by the policy can breathe a sigh of relief, but many remain anxious about what comes next.
“This isn’t over,” said a university official who asked not to be named. “We’re dealing with an administration that is actively trying to dismantle the structures that support global education. Today’s ruling is a victory, but we know there could be more legal battles ahead.”
As the legal fight continues, Judge White’s ruling underscores a deepening clash between the executive branch and the judiciary over immigration enforcement—and raises broader questions about the future of international education in America.
