‘Pause, not final ruling’: International students get last-minute relief as judge blocks DHS rule

### Court Blocks DHS Rule That Would Have Changed Duration of Status for International Students

Nearly 8,000 miles away from New York, in Mumbai, India, advertising executive Preeti Shri Suri stayed awake on September 14 awaiting a U.S. federal court decision that could have significantly affected international students studying at American universities.

Suri’s daughter is an F-1 student pursuing a master’s degree in data science at New York University. Like many international families, Suri had been closely following a Department of Homeland Security rule that would have ended the existing duration-of-status framework for certain international students and exchange visitors.

The rule was scheduled to take effect on September 15, 2026, but U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV issued a preliminary injunction on September 14, preventing it from taking effect while the legal challenge continues.

The decision provided temporary relief to international students who had been concerned about how the proposed changes could affect their academic programs, employment planning and immigration timelines. The ruling, however, did not resolve the underlying legal dispute.

In online forums dedicated to F-1 students and U.S. immigration, discussions surrounding the proposed rule intensified in the weeks leading up to the court decision. Students and families debated the potential consequences while waiting to see whether the rule would be blocked or allowed to proceed.

For one master’s student at a major East Coast university, who requested anonymity, the uncertainty became an additional source of pressure during an already demanding academic period.

“As international students we already have a lot riding on our heads,” the student told *The American Bazaar*, explaining that students must manage academic expectations while adapting to a new educational and social environment. The student said uncertainty surrounding immigration policy can also affect the time and concentration available for coursework and research.

The student said a major assignment was due during the same week as the expected ruling and acknowledged that the uncertainty had affected his ability to focus on the submission.

Universities and higher-education organizations had raised concerns about the potential consequences of the proposed rule for international students and institutions. Many schools provided updates through international student offices, websites and campus resources, while reminding students to maintain valid immigration documents and comply with existing status requirements.

Immigration attorney Gnanamookan Sethurjothi said students should continue to monitor developments because the preliminary injunction does not represent a final resolution of the case.

“This is a pause, not a final ruling,” Sethurjothi said, adding that the government could appeal while litigation continues.

In the decision blocking the rule from taking effect, Judge Saylor addressed the potential effects on higher education and the broader U.S. economy. The court also cited evidence that some international students and prospective students had already changed their plans because of uncertainty surrounding the proposed policy.

Court records cited in the case indicated that 32 international students withdrew from one Baltimore university, while applications from international students at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee declined by 42 percent.

The broader role of international students in U.S. higher education is substantial. According to the 2025 *Open Doors* report, American colleges and universities hosted 1,177,766 international students during the 2024-25 academic year, representing about 6 percent of the U.S. higher-education population.

Economic estimates also show significant contributions from international students. NAFSA reported that international students contributed approximately $42.9 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 355,000 jobs during the 2024-25 academic year.

The figures have also become part of a wider discussion about the effects of immigration and higher-education policies on universities, research and the U.S. economy. NAFSA’s more recent Fall 2026 outlook projects further declines in international-student enrollment under several scenarios, although those figures are projections rather than final enrollment results.

For students currently studying in the United States, the court’s preliminary injunction means the proposed DHS rule will not take effect on the September 15 date specified in the original policy. However, the continuing litigation means students and universities remain attentive to future court decisions and government actions.

Sethurjothi advised students whose academic programs, Optional Practical Training or STEM OPT plans, or dependent-status arrangements were based on the proposed rule to review their plans in light of the injunction.

For families such as Suri’s, the ruling offers immediate relief from the uncertainty surrounding the September 15 implementation date, while the larger legal question over the future of duration of status for international students remains unresolved.