ATLANTA — On Friday, April 18, Georgia Civil Rights organizations American Civil Liberties Union-Georgia, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta, and CAIR-Georgia welcomed the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued in the case of 133 student plaintiffs from across the country, represented by Kuck Baxter Immigration, whose F-1 visa holder statuses had been revoked without due process via termination of their records in the Student and Exchange Visitor (SEVIS) system.
The court ordered the government to reinstate the 133 plaintiffs’ statuses on the SEVIS system, thereby reversing any terminations the government had issued since March 31, 2025. The TRO will be in place for two weeks from the date of the court’s order.
The TRO was issued by Judge Calvert in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia’s Atlanta Division against the U.S. Attorney General, U.S. Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and the Acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
SEE: COURT ORDER
SEE: International college students here in GA file lawsuit after having visas revoked – WSB-TV Channel 2 - Atlanta
In the ruling, Judge Calvert relied on extensive case law and in the hearing, referenced the amicus brief jointly filed by ACLU-Georgia, Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta and CAIR-Georgia. The case will now be heard for a preliminary injunction, potentially offering longer-term relief, on Thursday, April 24.
Akiva Freidlin, Senior Staff Attorney at the ACLU-Georgia said: “The Constitution protects everyone on American soil, so the Trump administration cannot ignore due process to unjustifiably threaten students with the loss of immigration status, and arrest and deportation. We believe this ruling shows the students are likely to prevail on their claims and we are pleased the court ordered the government to halt its unlawful actions while the lawsuit continues.”
Samantha Hamilton, Impact Litigation Staff Attorney at Advancing Justice - Atlanta commented, “We are so glad that the court recognized the irreparable harms that these students are facing as a result of the Government’s actions and that the court recognized the urgency with which it had to act in order to prevent grave injustices from occurring. Immigrants’ rights continue to be under attack every day in this country. It’s nice to see some light in the midst of all the injustice. We applaud the students for standing up for their rights and the court for arriving at the correct result at this early juncture, but the fight will continue until the court grants more permanent relief.”
Aaron Butler, Managing Attorney at CAIR-Georgia shared in a statement: “We welcome the Temporary Restraining Order, which is the first step towards protecting international students. We hope the courts will ensure ICE follows the established due process rules and procedures, that are in place, to prevent illegal and arbitrary actions against individuals.”
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CAIR-Georgia’s mission is to protect civil rights, promote justice, empower American Muslims, and enhance the understanding of Islam.
The ACLU of Georgia enhances and defends the civil liberties and rights of all Georgians through legal action, legislative and community advocacy, and civic education and engagement.
Asian Americans Advancing Justice-Atlanta is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the civil rights of Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI), and other marginalized communities in Georgia and the Southeast.