The Department of Homeland security restored the immigration records of about a dozen international students at New Hampshire universities, after the Trump administration reversed course late last week, according to university officials.
In early April, routine checks from university officials showed that Homeland Security changed the immigration status of a few of their international students without any apparent warning or explanation. This triggered several lawsuits from the ACLU and blowback from both students and university administrators.
As students head back to class, the reasons for both the revocation and the reversal are still unclear. So is what this reversal means to open lawsuits, including two filed in New Hampshire by the ACLU on behalf of some of these students.
University officials at Dartmouth College, Rivier University, Southern New Hampshire University, and the University of New Hampshire confirmed that the records for most affected students were reinstated as of Monday. The schools declined to share additional details, citing university policy
Despite the reversal, SNHU is closely monitoring federal actions related to student visas. Late last week, the records were restored for nearly all SNHU students and graduates who were recently impacted. However, a spokesperson said the university will continue tracking any updates from the Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security.
“We hope any further action related to student status is thoughtful and recognizes the valuable contributions made by international learners across our communities and nation,” said university spokesperson Siobhan Lopez in a statement.
“Our international students are valuable members of our community, and we are actively working to keep them informed of the latest updates and resources available to them to ensure they can continue to focus on their education.”
This reversal comes as institutions of higher education are taking different approaches to supporting students and opposing the policies of the Trump administration.
Dartmouth officials announced that the college will provide students and employees affected up to $2,000 toward the cost of consulting with an outside immigration attorney. Although the fund was not framed as a direct response to the records changes, the same memo also said that an open court case between a Dartmouth PhD student and the Department of Homeland security “may also have been helpful” towards the return.
Dartmouth President Sian Beilock plans to meet with the Trump administration, elected officials, and fellow presidents from the Association of American University’s meeting of presidents.
Beilock has been facing criticism for not signing an open letter from the American Association of Colleges and Universities pushing back on the Trump administration’s higher education policies. While the letter does not criticize the Trump administration for the abrupt changes in status, it does oppose what the association calls “government overreach” and “political interference”
“We must oppose undue government intrusion in the lives of those who learn, live, and work on our campuses,” the letter reads. “We will always seek effective and fair financial practices, but we must reject the coercive use of public research funding.”
The letter has been signed by presidents of hundreds of colleges across the country – including every Ivy League school except Dartmouth.
Saint Anselm College President Joseph Favazza appears to be the only university president in New Hampshire that signed on. He agreed with the opinions in the letter and added it resonated with ongoing efforts to foster a culture of belonging.
“Here at Saint Anselm, we remain guided by our Catholic and Benedictine, liberal arts values and we are steadfastly committed to affirming and promoting an environment here on the Hilltop that welcomes and respects the dignity of all,” Favazza said in a statement.
