SOCORRO, N.M. (KRQE) – A New Mexico Tech student from Ghana is suing the Department of Homeland Security and ICE after he said his visa was revoked. According to the lawsuit, the student, identified in court filings as KOD, learned about the revocation from university officials two weeks ago. The visa was not set to expire until 2028.
The lawsuit says the student, who was pursuing a doctorate in petroleum engineering, had never been arrested or charged with a crime, nor had he participated in any protests. The student’s attorney said he was denied due process. “If the government is going to take any action against you or revoke something like your F-1 student status, they have to give you some sort of process, they have to notify yo,u and tell you the reasons why they are doing that. That didn’t happen in this case,” said Attorney Shayne Huffman.
Several other international students at the University of New Mexico and New Mexico State University have also had their visas revoked. The American Civil Liberties Union said more lawsuits may be filed.