A U.S. federal judge has ruled that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) unlawfully terminated the F-1 visa status of Akshar Patel, an Indian student at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. The ruling, issued by Judge Ana C. Reyes, came after ICE ended Patel’s SEVIS record based on a traffic citation from 2018 that had already been dismissed, leaving him at risk of removal from the U.S.
Key Details:
- The ruling was made in early 2025 following a challenge by Patel in federal court.
- ICE’s actions were deemed arbitrary and capricious, violating due process rights.
- The court rejected the government’s attempt to dismiss the case as moot after reinstating Patel’s SEVIS record.
- The case highlights that dismissed or minor infractions cannot automatically justify the termination of F-1 visa status.
This ruling reinforces the principle that immigration status cannot be revoked without lawful process and reasoned decision-making, emphasizing the limits of administrative power in immigration enforcement.
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Source: Swatilina Barik