Three Indian and two Chinese students have filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security and other immigration officials, accusing them of “unilaterally terminating the F-1 student status of hundreds, if not thousands, of international students."

According to the lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) before the US District Court in New Hampshire, the “unilateral and unlawful termination” of F-1 status of the petitioners have put them out of lawful student status, The Hindustan Times reported.

The lawsuit alleged that the students are not only facing immigration detention and deportation, but also going through “severe financial and academic hardship.”

The students have alleged that they are not able to obtain their degrees and work in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) programme after graduation.