UIowa Attorney and Professor Discuss Lawsuit Over Student Status Cancellations

IOWA CITY, Iowa (KCRG) – Kate Melloy Goettel, a University of Iowa professor specializing in immigration law and federal court procedures, is part of the legal team addressing a legal case submitted on Tuesday fighting against ICE's decision to end the student status for 3 University of Iowa international students and one graduate.

"The students received no prior notification from the federal government; instead, they only discovered this when university authorities accessed that database and realized, 'Your student status has been revoked.' Consequently, these students have become incapable of continuing their education and genuinely fear venturing outside their apartments, dreading potential arrests and detentions," stated Melloy Goettel.

She mentions that this violates the Fifth Amendment procedural due process rights.

"The claim is that ICE failed to adhere to both legal standards and its internal protocols in revoking the statuses of these international students. All of them were legally permitted to enter and study at the University of Iowa, thereby retaining the right to remain enrolled. By unlawfully ending their statuses, ICE has acted improperly, and our aim is to rectify this situation," stated Melloy Goettel.

She further mentioned that this situation has not just caused an unwanted interruption in the education of these students, but also halted the valuable contributions they were making both to the campus and the wider community.

We offer various educational tiers ranging from undergraduate to doctoral candidates, which means such disruptions significantly hinder their academic progress," stated Melloy Goettel. "Moreover, it disrupts their capacity for conducting research at the institution and fulfilling their roles as teaching assistants. This impact extends beyond classrooms; many contribute substantially through technological innovations primarily within STEM fields. We're keen on having them return both to further their education and resume their valuable contributions to our university and the broader community.