More than a thousand international students are in danger of deportation as a result of a Trump administration crackdown, and a class action complaint filed Friday asks a federal court to restore their legal status.

The lawsuit, brought by several branches of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), aims to represent over 100 students living in New England and Puerto Rico. "International students are a vital community in our state's universities, and no administration should be allowed to circumvent the law to unilaterally strip students of status, disrupt their studies, and put them at risk of deportation," said Gilles Bissonnette, legal director of the ACLU of New Hampshire. Across the country, students have had their visas cancelled or their legal status removed, often without much warning.

Since late March, around 1,100 students from over 170 colleges, universities, and university systems have been impacted, based on an Associated Press review of university statements, communications with school officials, and court records. The AP is still trying to verify reports of many more students being affected. Students have filed lawsuits claiming they were denied fair treatment. Federal judges have issued temporary orders in New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and Montana, protecting students from being removed from the U.S. In a new lawsuit filed in New Hampshire, the plaintiffs say they were suddenly informed that their F-1 student visas had been cancelled. This has left them unsure whether they can stay in the US and complete their studies, according to the complaint.

Manikanta Pasula from India was about to finish his master's degree in computer science at Rivier University in New Hampshire. He was also planning to apply for a work program that would allow him to stay in the country after graduation. Hangrui Zhang from China had come to the US to pursue a PhD in electronic and computer science at Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. However, now he is unable to work as a research assistant, which was his only way of earning money, according to the complaint. "The government did not give notice it is required to provide before terminating a foreign student's legal status," the lawyers said. The Department of Homeland Security did not respond right away to a request for comment.

Last month, Secretary of State Marco Rubio mentioned that the State Department was cancelling visas for individuals who were acting against national interests. This included people who protested against Israel's war in Gaza and those facing criminal charges. In some well-known cases, like the one involving Columbia University activist Mahmoud Khalil, the Trump administration used participation in pro-Palestinian activism as a reason for deportation. Colleges say that most students affected by visa revocations had no involvement in the protests. Many are being targeted for small issues, like old traffic violations, and in some cases, the reason for the revocation is not clear.