MUST READ: How a Nigerian student defeated Trump’s deportation order

In a legal twist against President Donald Trump’s aggressive immigration crackdown, a federal judge has halted the deportation of Matthew Ariwoola, a Nigerian PhD chemistry student studying at the University of South Carolina.

According to reports, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had revoked Ariwoola’s student visa in April over a case of mistaken identity, linking him to a 2023 criminal warrant from Georgia—a state Ariwoola insists he has never visited.

The revocation effectively expelled him from his academic program.

He was banned from classes, barred from laboratory access, and placed under imminent threat of deportation.

Faced with losing his future and legal status, Ariwoola reached out to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Carolina.

The group quickly filed a lawsuit, challenging DHS’s decision as a violation of due process.

On April 18, 2025, the same day the suit was filed, District Judge Jacquelyn Austin issued a 14-day temporary restraining order, pausing deportation proceedings and reinstating his student privileges.

“This temporary ruling gave me back my dignity,” Ariwoola told reporters. “I had done nothing wrong, yet everything was taken from me overnight.”

Following the court order, DHS reinstated his visa in the federal SEVIS database, allowing him to legally remain in the U.S. and continue his research work.

Over the following weeks, Judge Austin extended the order three times, citing new legal grounds.

On June 13, she issued a preliminary injunction, barring the federal government from further action until the case is fully resolved.

In her ruling, the judge stated that the case presented serious constitutional questions and confirmed the court’s full jurisdiction.

She also noted that the student’s rights to education and due process had been significantly threatened.

Ariwoola’s case has become a flashpoint in the broader conversation around Trump’s immigration policy, especially regarding foreign students.

Since returning to office in January 2025, the Trump administration has escalated efforts to remove undocumented immigrants and reintroduced controversial visa policies.

Critics say international students—especially from Africa and Asia—are increasingly caught in the political crossfire.

According to immigration lawyers, dozens of other international students have faced similar wrongful deportation threats since Trump resumed office.

“This isn’t just about me,” Ariwoola said. “It’s about every student who feels vulnerable, unwelcome, or wrongly accused.”

Though the court ruling offers temporary protection, the legal challenge is ongoing.

ACLU lawyers argue that Ariwoola was denied a fair review and that DHS failed to verify identity before revoking his visa.

They also assert that the administration’s fast-track deportation policies violate constitutional protections for legal residents and student visa holders.

Ariwoola is back in school, continuing his doctoral research and preparing for the next legal round.

The final hearing date has not been announced, but legal experts say the case could set a major precedent for how the U.S. treats foreign students in future immigration crackdowns.

For now, the 28-year-old Nigerian remains defiant and focused.

“I still believe in the American dream,” he said. “But now I know it’s something you must fight to protect.”

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