U.S. Federal Court Halts Deportation Nigerian PhD Student Amid Visa Revocation

Under President Donald Trump’s renewed immigration crackdown, a federal court has temporarily blocked the deportation of Matthew Ariwoola, a Nigerian PhD chemistry student at the University of South Carolina, after the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) revoked his student visa due to a mistaken identity linked to a criminal warrant from Georgia. Ariwoola was abruptly barred from attending classes and conducting research, prompting the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Carolina to file a lawsuit challenging the DHS decision for violating due process. District Judge Jacquelyn Austin issued a temporary restraining order on the same day the suit was filed, which was extended multiple times and followed by a preliminary injunction preventing further government action against Ariwoola until the case is resolved. The court found the case presented a legitimate constitutional question and criticized the lack of explanation and due process in the visa revocation. Homeland Security reinstated Ariwoola’s visa in the federal SEVIS database, allowing him to resume his academic work. This legal victory is seen as a significant and hopeful precedent for international students facing similar immigration enforcement actions under the current administration.