The American Civil Liberties Union of Alaska filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect the due process rights of Jean Kashikov, a recent graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage who studied under an F-1 student visa. Mr. Kashikov’s practical training period, a period of temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study, was unlawfully and abruptly terminated by the DHS for no valid reason and without notice.
The suit alleges that Mr. Kashikov’s Fifth Amendment due process rights were violated because he was not offered an opportunity to contest the DHS’s decision to terminate his status. It also alleges that DHS’s actions are contrary to federal law and the Constitution and violate the Administrative Procedure Act.
Two days after the lawsuit was filed, the Trump Administration and DHS announced it would re-activate SEVIS accounts for F-1 students whose status was revoked, including Mr. Kashikov's. The ACLU of Alaska secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) for Mr. Kashikov to ensure his can remain in Alaska and continue to work while the government works to reverse course. The TRO was granted Friday, April 25th, and gives the administration two weeks to ensure that Mr. Kashikov's F-1 student status is fully reinstated.
