A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction blocking immigration authorities from deporting Nigerian postgraduate student Matthew Ariwoola from the U.S. amid President Donald Trump’s relentless crackdown on illegal immigrants.

According to court documents, the matter began on April 8, 2025, when Mr Ariwoola was informed that the Department of Homeland Security had unilaterally cancelled his student visa, citing a 2023 incident in which he was erroneously served a criminal warrant in Georgia, despite having never been to the state before.

Due to the decision by the DHS, Mr Ariwoola, who is a Chemistry PhD student at the University of South Carolina, was immediately barred from conducting his research and teaching classes. 

Fearing the possibility of losing his student status and potential deportation back to Nigeria, Mr Ariwoola reached out to the non-profit rights organisation, American Civil Liberties Union for South Carolina, which subsequently filed a lawsuit against the government on behalf of the Nigerian scholar on April 18.

On the same day, Judge Jacquelyn Austin of the District Court of the United States for the District of South Carolina Columbia Division issued a 14-day temporary restraining order against the government from pursuing any further deportation orders against Mr Ariwoola.

The judge also reinstated his student status, allowing the Nigerian to continue his academic and employment pursuits.

On April 24, Homeland Security abruptly reactivated Mr Ariwoola’s student status in the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, which the agency uses to monitor international students and other temporary visa holders.

Meanwhile, the judge would go on to extend the temporary restraining order three more times before eventually granting a preliminary injunction to block the government from taking further action against the Nigerian until the case is decided on June 13.

“Having determined that the action presents a live case or controversy under Article III and that the court has jurisdiction over Plaintiff’s claims, the Court now turns to a discussion of the Winter factors and concludes that each factor weighs in favour of issuing a preliminary injunction in this case,” the judge said in her ruling.

Mr Ariwoola is among thousands of foreign students who have had their student visas revoked since Mr Trump returned to the White House in January this year as part of efforts to embark on his campaign promise to deport millions of migrants from the United States.

Mr Ariwoola, who filed the suit with support from his university, said the legal victory, albeit temporary, offered hope to other international students facing wrongful deportation.

“I am grateful for the quick turnaround and massive support from the community, most especially the ACLU-SC and the courts for ensuring that justice prevails,” the university website quoted Mr Ariwoola as saying. “I believe this will encourage other international students in the same situation to speak up and stand firm for what is right.”