Donald Trump’s Student Visa Crackdown Hits Ohio Roadblock

Billal Rahman, an immigration reporter based in London, UK, specializes in immigration policy and border security. He has uncovered misconduct allegations among border agents under investigation and exposed claims of abuse at ICE-run detention centers in the US. Rahman joined Newsweek in 2024 after working for The Independent. Originally from Glasgow, he studied Journalism in Edinburgh and previously worked for STV News before moving to London in 2022. For more information, you can contact Billal at b.rahman@newsweek.com.

In Columbus, a federal judge has granted a temporary restraining order in support of a graduate from Ohio State University whose student visa was terminated by the Trump administration. This decision is significant due to the administration revoking visas of over a thousand foreign students, particularly those involved in pro-Palestinian activism on college campuses, under Executive Order 14188 aimed at combating antisemitism. Critics argue that the administration is using this order to suppress free speech.

The ruling, issued by U.S. District Court Judge Algenon L. Marbley, favors Prasanna Oruganti, an international graduate student from India pursuing a Ph.D. in agricultural engineering. Oruganti filed a civil rights lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security Secretary and Acting ICE Director challenging the termination of her student visa, which jeopardizes her studies and could lead to deportation. The government’s justification for revoking her visa was based on a minor misdemeanor charge from a previous driving incident, which Oruganti claimed was unjustified.

Oruganti is among several Ohio State University students whose visas have been revoked by the Trump administration, including another student targeted for involvement in pro-Palestine protests. The situation has sparked legal battles and challenges against the administration’s immigration policies. In a separate case, a federal judge in Georgia has ordered ICE to restore the legal status of students whose visas were revoked, highlighting the ongoing legal disputes over immigration enforcement actions.