11 Stony Brook international students regain legal status, after Trump administration reverses visa revocation

The federal government has restored the legal status of the 11 Stony Brook University international students who had their visas revoked by the Trump administration, school officials announced on Monday.

The 11 students were among more than 1,200 international students enrolled at U.S. colleges, universities and university systems who had their visas revoked or their legal status terminated since March, according to a review by The Associated Press.

The Trump administration announced its reversal of the visa revocation Friday after many international students filed court challenges against the move, many citing a lack of due process.

"Our Office of Global Affairs team has already been in contact with the affected students," Stony Brook officials said in a joint statement. "This change means on-campus employment can be restored, and allows these students to return their full attention to their academic pursuits. ... We continue to update the Immigration Policy Updates page."

The Stony Brook students were among 46 international students attending SUNY schools that were impacted. International students enrolled at many other New York colleges and universities also had their visas affected. 

SUNY spokeswoman Holly Liapis wrote in an email Tuesday that records for all 46 students had been restored.

“We are committed to the success of all SUNY students, and we will continue to closely monitor this situation," she wrote.

In some cases, international students have been targeted for their support of pro-Palestinian causes, but others were targeted for minor infractions like parking tickets or identified through criminal records checks, said Lamya Agarwala, a supervising attorney at the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ New York office

In one of the more notable cases, a judge recently ruled that the Trump administration can move ahead with efforts to deport Mahmoud Khalil, the Columbia University graduate student arrested for leading pro-Palestinian protests on campus.

But other international students have had success in the courtroom getting their legal status restored, at least temporarily.

Federal judges have granted temporary restraining orders in Oregon, Georgia, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, Montana and Washington State, after students filed lawsuits claiming they were denied due process, according to The AP. Last week, a federal judge ordered the U.S. government to restore the visa status of two international students and temporarily blocked their deportation.

Stony Brook University has a large international student population, with more than 3,800 international students in the fall of 2024, according to the university's 2024-25 fact book.

In a post on the university website dated April 15, school officials said they were working with impacted students to "support them in completing their academic course of study" and provide resources to those who are not able to work because their immigration status was terminated.

On Monday, university officials said the Office of Global Affairs team "is on call around the clock" and can be reached at globalaffairs@stonybrook.edu.

"We also recognize many at the university continue to be concerned about other impacts to higher education," Monday's statement said. "We are confident that as we face new challenges, our Stony Brook community will come together to support each other and ensure we can remain focused on our mission as New York’s leading flagship."