'ICE backs down': Trump admin reportedly 'reversed course' on major immigration issue

The Trump administration suddenly backed down on its effort to revoke the visas of thousands of foreign students, according to reports.

The administration announced Friday in court that it would return the students to active status after terminating their records in a federal database earlier this month, reported WUSA-TV.

As Politico's Kyle Cheney wrote, "After canceling thousands of foreign students' immigration records — threatening their ability to study and live in the US — the Trump administration has reversed course and restored them all."

"It follows intense pushback from courts across the country," the reporter added.

“ICE is developing a policy that will provide a framework for SEVIS record terminations," said assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Carilli. "Until such a policy is issued, the SEVIS records for plaintiff(s) in this case (and other similarly situated plaintiffs) will remain Active or shall be re-activated if not currently active and ICE will not modify the record solely based on the NCIC finding that resulted in the recent SEVIS record termination."

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Federal judges have issued more than 40 emergency orders blocking Immigration and Customs Enforcement from unilaterally terminating records in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which the Department of Homeland Security uses to monitor foreign students while they're in the U.S.

They must maintain active status in the database to complete their educational programs, obtain authorization to work and apply for the H-1B visa lottery.

Hundreds of students have sued over the ICE action, saying they had never been charged with any crimes.

Carilli said the Department of Justice would file a similar statement in other cases around the country, saying ICE had the authority to terminate SEVIS records for students who did not maintain their nonimmigrant status or engage in other unlawful activity.