Following an abrupt reversal by the Trump administration on Friday, the five students whose student visas were revoked have had their legal statuses restored, a University spokesperson told Pipe Dream on Monday.

“At Binghamton University, all five affected students have had their SEVIS records reverted back to Active status, allowing them to continue their studies,” the spokesperson wrote, referring to the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, an online platform run by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that manages and tracks information for international students.

“The University remains committed to actively monitoring this evolving situation daily,” the statement continued.

They are among 46 students across the SUNY system who were impacted. As of Monday afternoon, every student has seen their legal status restored, a SUNY spokesperson told Pipe Dream.

The spokesperson added: “We are committed to the success of all SUNY students, and we will continue to closely monitor this situation.”

The decision to restore legal status was revealed by a Justice Department lawyer to a federal judge in court. It was characterized as temporary, as the Trump administration is developing a new system to review and terminate records for international students, per reporting from The New York Times.

The reversal comes as the federal government faces a wave of lawsuits from affected students. According to analysis by the publication Inside Higher Ed, over 1,800 students saw a status change, though other estimates range as high as 4,700.

“Our International Student and Scholar Services team will continue to provide personalized outreach and guidance to students impacted by changes to their status,” the University spokesperson wrote.

Pipe Dream first reported earlier this month that five students at BU — and 21 SUNY students — had seen a change-of-visa status. As of Friday morning, the Trump administration has not contacted administrators for enforcement purposes, the University spokesperson said.

The heightened federal action comes as colleges and universities have been subject to intense scrutiny in recent months. Facing a devastating multibillion-dollar funding cut after rejecting federal demands, Harvard University became the first to stand against the Trump administration, suing in federal court last week.

“The student visa program has been a tremendous asset to our local universities and colleges, opening doors for international students to pursue their education and contribute to our community,” wrote Rep. Josh Riley. “Students on visas must adhere to the law, and it’s essential that the administration overseeing those visas do the same — it’s just common sense.”

In March, the University and 59 other higher education institutions received a letter from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights warning of “potential enforcement actions” if it failed to meet its obligations to protect Jewish students under Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act.

This followed the January 2024 start of an investigation into the University, spurred by a complaint from the editor-in-chief of Campus Reform, a conservative media outlet.

While attending an event at SUNY Plattsburgh earlier in April, SUNY Chancellor John B. King Jr. said the American economy has benefited from the work and research done by international students.

“And so it’s very worrisome that we’re seeing backsliding from our commitment to serving international students,” King said. “I hope that the courts will step in. I also hope Congress will step in to ensure that the United States can continue to be a beacon of higher education for the world.”