Three Indian and two Chinese students have filed a lawsuit against the US Department of Homeland Security, alleging unlawful termination of their F-1 student visas, which has thrown their academic futures into uncertainty.
Filed in the US District Court of New Hampshire by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the lawsuit accuses immigration officials of “unilaterally and unlawfully terminating” student statuses without notice or due process. The abrupt action, the petition claims, could affect hundreds, if not thousands, of international students.
Indian students Linkhith Babu Gorrela, Thanuj Kumar Gummadavelli, and Manikanta Pasula are among the petitioners, along with Chinese nationals Hangrui Zhang and Haoyang An. All five students were nearing graduation or actively pursuing higher education when their visa statuses were revoked.
The petitioners claim the loss of visa status has blocked access to their degrees, cut off income, and eliminated eligibility for the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program, a vital work opportunity for international students after graduation.
“This is not just a bureaucratic error—it’s a life-altering decision,” the lawsuit states. “These students have followed every rule and made considerable sacrifices to study in the United States.”
The ACLU argues that federal authorities violated legal requirements by failing to notify students before terminating their lawful status, putting them at risk of deportation, financial ruin, and academic loss.
