(File Photo)
Wisconsin, US: A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the deportation of a 21-year-old Indian student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, challenging the Trump administration’s move to revoke international student visas without due process. The final-year computer engineering student, scheduled to graduate in May, faced an abrupt visa termination earlier this month without prior notice or opportunity to respond.
Judge William Conley of the Western District of Wisconsin issued the ruling on April 15, preventing the Department of Homeland Security from detaining or deporting Krish Lal Isserdasani or revoking his F-1 visa.
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The court found a “reasonable likelihood of success” in Isserdasani’s legal challenge and granted a temporary restraining order ahead of a preliminary injunction hearing set for April 28.
The judge’s decision comes after Isserdasani’s SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor Information System) record was terminated by UW-Madison’s International Student Services office, citing that he had been “identified in criminal records check and/or has had their VISA revoked.” The move followed a November 2024 arrest for suspected misdemeanour and disorderly conduct after an argument outside a bar. However, Dane County prosecutors did not file charges, and Isserdasani was never summoned to court.
“He was given no warning, no opportunity to explain or defend himself, and no chance to correct any potential misunderstanding,” the court order stated.
Attorney Shabnam Lotfi, who filed for the emergency order, said the case reflects a broader trend of international students being penalised for minor legal or administrative issues. “The judge heard us,” she said. “This is a rare win for international students.”
The judge noted the severe consequences of the visa termination, including the potential loss of $17,500 in tuition, nearly $240,000 in total educational costs, and the inability to complete his degree or apply for a post-study work programme. The order also described Isserdasani’s mental state, stating he was “afraid to leave his apartment for fear of being apprehended at any moment”.
The Court records revealed that at least 57 student visa terminations have occurred at Wisconsin universities as of April 15. Nationwide, similar terminations have been linked to minor offences or bureaucratic misunderstandings.
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When asked about these actions, State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce stated, “We don’t go into the rationale for what happens with individual visas… We revoke visas every day in order to secure our borders and keep our community safe.”
The case has sparked criticism from higher education advocates. The Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration expressed concern, saying the administration’s actions “create an atmosphere of fear, threaten academic freedom, chill free expression, and jeopardise the well-being of noncitizen members of our campus communities.”
Reportedly, visas of nearly 500 students were suddenly revoked, with some students sent to the deportation centres and some also ‘self-deporting’ themselves. Many of the well-known institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, Michigan, UCLA and Ohio State University, are affected.
