MISSOULA — A federal case, Roe v. Noem, involving the abrupt termination of two Montana State University graduate students' F-1 immigration status is being deliberated on in Missoula.
The lawsuit was filed in mid-April after the ACLU filed on behalf of MSU students whose F-1 student status was revoked.
Judge Dana Christensen presided over the defense's motion to dismiss hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
Watch to learn more about the lawsuit being heard in Missoula:
The defense stated that the federal government "ran into a buzzsaw" of lawsuits after the March 2025 Student Criminal Alien Initiative (SCAI) began.
Through SCAI, federal agents searched the names of foreign students through the National Criminal Information Center's (NCIC) database, which tracks encounters with law enforcement.
Research returned thousands of hits, which prompted the termination of what's called SEVIS (Student and Exchange Visitor System Records).
Universities nationwide sent letters to foreign students warning of deportation.
Then, in April, the ACLU's lawsuit on behalf of the graduate students began. Later that month, the government reversed course and temporarily restored the SEVIS records.
Fast forward to Dec. 2, where the defense urged dismissal without prejudice since they say the government has no intent to engage in similar conduct.
The prosecution rebutted by stating, "immigrants will continue to be in the crosshairs," and they say the government still can terminate records even if there is no plan to do so at the moment.
