On Wednesday, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Alaska filed a lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to protect the due process rights of Jean Kashikov, a recent graduate of the University of Alaska Anchorage who studied under an F-1 student visa. Mr. Kashikov’s practical training period, a period of temporary employment that is directly related to an F-1 student’s major area of study, was unlawfully and abruptly terminated by the DHS for no valid reason and without notice.
The suit alleges that Mr. Kashikov’s Fifth Amendment due process rights were violated because he was not offered an opportunity to contest the DHS’s decision to terminate his status. It also alleges that DHS’s actions are contrary to federal law and the Constitution and violate the Administrative Procedure Act.
A temporary restraining order has been requested to provide immediate protection to Mr. Kashikov and allow him to resume his practical training.
Mr. Kashikov, a citizen of Kazakhstan, graduated from the University of Alaska Anchorage in 2024 with degrees in Mathematics and Professional Piloting and is currently participating in his practical training period as a flight instructor. He has fully complied with all the requirements necessary to maintain his F-1 status. In addition to attorneys from the ACLU of Alaska, Mr. Kashikov is represented by Nicolas Olano of the Nations Law Group.
“The United States should be welcoming people like Mr. Kashikov and making sure that we are attracting worldwide talent. Instead, we find ourselves trying to stop the termination of his student status by clearly unlawful means,” said Nicolas Olano, of Nations Law Group.
Over the past few weeks, the DHS has terminated the status of over 1,700 students nationwide. “Alaskans have not been immune to the unlawful actions of this Administration,” said Mara Kimmel, Executive Director for the ACLU of Alaska. “With over 300 foreign students in the state, it is critical that we stand up to protect their due process rights. We're calling on the court to take immediate steps to stop these unlawful actions.”
