The Brown students and recent graduates whose visas were revoked by the State Department earlier this month have had their visa registration records reactivated, according to an email from University Spokesperson Brian Clark. Their records were reinstated in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program system on Saturday.
On April 10, Brown’s Office of International Student and Scholar Services announced that at least one Brown student and a “small number” of recent graduates had their visas revoked during that week. The University did not receive notification or explanation from the relevant federal agencies at the time of the revocations.
Following a wave of lawsuits around the country attempting to reinstate international students’ legal status, the Department of Justice announced the reversal in federal court on Friday.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island — alongside three other ACLU affiliates and law firm Shaheen and Gordon — previously filed a class-action lawsuit in an attempt to reactivate immigration records for students across the Northeast.
Students and affiliates at other universities including Harvard and Penn, who previously had their status revoked, have also had their records reinstated over the past few days.
“Brown is home to more than 2,700 international students and scholars, who enrich our academic community through their contributions to research, teaching, learning, campus life and the local community,” Clark wrote.
The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Sophia Wotman is a University news editor covering activism and affinity & identity. She is a junior from Long Island, New York concentrating in Political Science with a focus on women’s rights. She is a jazz trumpet player, and often performs on campus and around Providence.
