MANKATO — At Minnesota State University, the latest maneuvers by the Trump administration affecting international students once again came without notice or explanation. But this time, the news was good for two-thirds of the MSU students who had seen their legal statuses revoked in recent weeks.
University officials routinely scan the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System database, which is maintained by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to see if the status of any of MSU’s roughly 1,600 international students has changed.
“During April 24-25 Minnesota State University, Mankato scans of SEVIS records, it was noted that eight of the 12 Minnesota State Mankato students whose records had been terminated were reinstated and moved back to active status,” MSU officials told The Free Press. “There was no communication to MSU or to the students that the records termination had been reversed.”
Those student had been among more than 1,000 nationwide impacted by the Trump administration’s widespread crackdown, which at times appeared to target international students for their pro-Palestinian speech and other times seemed to focus on students who had committed crimes, including relatively minor misdemeanor offenses.
MSU officials said they have not received explanations for why the 12 students’ status had been terminated or why it has now changed. But administration lawyers, after suffering multiple court losses when attempting to defend the policy, announced Friday that they were restoring legal status for many students, although it may be a temporary reprieve.
“We are uncertain about the reason for the reversal, but are happy for our students that this is behind them and that they can continue to pursue their lawfully authorized studies and work in the U.S.,” said Will Coghill-Behrends, MSU’s dean of global education.
Four Minnesota State Mankato students continue to have terminated SEVIS records.
“We continue the work of supporting them, the entire international student body, and all in our community who are impacted by these recent events,” said Coghill-Behrends.
There was no immediate indication that Friday’s change of course by the Trump administration had an impact on the case of Mohammed Hoque — a 20-year-old MSU student from Bangladesh who had spoken out in support of Palestinian human rights and was taken into custody by federal immigration agents in Mankato in March.
A check of ICE records Friday night showed Hoque as still being detained in the Freeborn County Jail in Albert Lea.