Federal judge blocks deportation of Mines grad student

Indian national allowed to pursue doctoral STEM training while case naming DHS Secretary Kristi Noem proceeds

A federal judge Thursday granted a preliminary injunction allowing a foreign graduate student at South Dakota School of Mines to stay in the country while her case against the federal government plays out.

Judge Karen Schreier ruled that Priya Saxena is likely to succeed on the merits of her case against the Department of Homeland Security. Schreier ordered the department not to revoke Saxena’s student visa and her federal record in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVIS). Schreier also ordered the department not to take any action to remove Saxena from the district of South Dakota or to deprive her of her freedom.

The injunction was an extension of two previous temporary restraining orders that barred the department from interfering with Saxena’s ability to graduate from Mines.